Adventures in the Marvel Universe: Dawn and Xander
by rafmere
Summary: The early history of Xander and Dawn's adventures in the Marvel Movie universe. This story is set in the same universe as my other story Avengers and Slayers. This is the early history of that universe. Currently the gang is stuck in a True Lies Universe that has a version of Sailor Moon.
1. Chapter 1

Adventures in the Marvel Universe: Dawn and Xander

**Chapter One**

Disclaimer: I own the stories that are not told. And not the previously published characters or the concepts.

Part I  
**  
The Pack**

Sunnydale, CA.  
Elementary School Bus.  


* * *

Dawn was bouncing in her seat. They were going to the Zoo to watch the animals and stuff.

"Would you calm down? You really should lay off the candy when we go out. That or share, so I could keep up." Janice elbowed Dawn gently.

Dawn took a deep breath and tried to calm down. She managed for about nine seconds before she started to bounce again. "Sorry, can't do it. Next time I'll make sure to smuggle some more for you. I keep forgetting that your mom is so ultra strict. What does she have against sugar anyway?"

Janice gave a heavy sigh and pouted. She gave up trying to get Dawn to stop with the bouncing, "I don't know. She says it has something to do with blah, blah, blobity-blah."

"What does that even mean?"

"Goddd! I don't know. I tune her out as soon as she starts with sugar's bad. Um-Kay." She put her hand on Dawn's shoulder and held her down for the rest of the trip.

**  
Sunnydale, CA.  
The Zoo.  
**

* * *

Dawn dragged Janice behind her from one enclosure to the next. Dawn's energy had yet to subside, while Janice's energy reserves dwindled trying to keep up.

"Hey, isn't that your sister?" She asked. Janice was desperate for any excuse that would slow her friend down. 'Darn it. She'd better have some sugar for me the next time she overdoses on he stuff.'

"Yeah it is. Let's hide before she sees us."

Janice looked left, at the Zebra habitat to the left and the closed Hyena enclose up ahead. "Where?" She asked.

Dawn made an instant decision and ran for the closed Hyena house. She forgot to drag Janice in her haste to hide. 'Buffy at the Zoo would ruin her day. She quickly found a place and his inside. "Shhhh." She didn't see Janice anywhere, "Janice? Where are you?" she was alone. Janice was nowhere in sight. She heard noise and went back to her hiding spot.

She saw some kids from Buffy's school. Four of them were teasing this geek they dragged along with them.

She slinked further back into the darkness. After a minute with the older kids teasing the geekoid, Xander came in to save the day. She had a secret crush on Xander for a while now. He even preferred her to Buffy, but that was a secret. 'It's four against one, and the geek so don't count. He's gonna need backup." She gathered her courage and went to help. She saw one of the bigger boys threaten her secret friend, "Hey! Pick on someone your own size." She said hoping to confuse the teen.

She heard a growl and turned to see where it came from.

Glowing green eyes. That all she saw at first. Then something went through her and she was pulled into this great big endless green ocean. Whatever went inside her drowned in the ocean. "Xander!" She reached out to touch her friend, and another green jolt went through her.

Xander looked at Dawn and felt a connection form with he young girl. "Huh, what, what are you doing here Dawn?" He growled.

"I'm your backup." She said bravely. She held on tight to his hand.

Xander didn't let go. He felt through the link and knew that deep down she was pack. The small one was his. She was his cub to protect.

"Get rid of her." One of the bigger girls said.

"Just try it you meanie!" She growled.

"I'm Alpha! She's 'Pack'!" Xander declared.

Heidi frowned. 'Pack' she touched Dawn and felt a feint connection. "Pack." She conceded.

The others frowned and followed Heidi's lead. They touched and sniffed the young one. After a minute or so Dawn got fed up and pushed them off." Rude much!" She growled. A bit of the drowning spirits inside her snapped back.

Xander once again moved in to the rescue. "Mine!" He growled at them.

Dawn felt a warm shiver go through her entire body. 'I knew it! He prefers me over Buffy!'

The rest of the Pack backed off. The pup belonged to the Alpha.

The Pack left the Hyena house and went out into the sunshine. Xander led them around the Zoo.

"There's Janice! Gotta go. She'll be worried. Bye Xander!" in a bold move she kissed him on the cheek and ran to catch up with her friend.

Xander put his hand on the wet spot on his cheek and smiled. "Come on." he growled at the rest.

The Pack followed.

"Where have you been? And, and did you just openly kiss that older boy?" She asked.

"He's my Xander." she replied sternly, she giggled and hugged her best friend, "He told the other kids that I was his. I'm so going to be Mrs. Xander Harris when I grow up!" She declared.

"You're hopeless." she giggled with her friend anyway, "C'mon dish. What was it like to kiss an older boy?"

The two giggled some more. Dawn ran and skipped away, and Janice was forced to do the same to keep up with her.

**  
Sunnydale, CA.  
1630 Revello Drive  
**

* * *

Dawn was clipping out wedding dresses from a magazine while humming he wedding march.

"What are you so happy about?" Joyce asked with an amused smile on her face.

"Xander said I was his!" she squealed.

"He did, did he?" Joyce asked with narrowed eyes.

"He so did. I'm so marrying him." She told her mother.

"When did this happen?" She asked her giddy daughter.

"At the Zoo. There were these mean kids, and they were doing mean stuff to this kid, and then Xander came in and saved the day. I helped of course and when one of the bigger, and meaner skanks tried to hurt me, Xander went like all...nu uh. She mine." she squealed and giggled again as she recalled the moment, "And then the rest of them got all weird and stuff but Xander stood his ground and they backed off."

"Xander was your White Knight I take it?" Joyce calmed down a bit after her youngest daughter explained what happened. She was glad it was something like that. It also proved that her judgement about Xander was spot on. He may have been interested in Buffy, but he also went out of his way to protect her other child when he didn't have to. Her eyes narrowed as another thought popped into her head. "Does Buffy know about Xander protecting you?"

"No she doesn't. Please mom don't tell her. He's mine, and not hers. He said so, please."

"Okay. Mums the word." she zipped her mouth promising not to tell Buffy.

"Thanks mom." She jumped off the bed and gave her mom a huge hug.

"Whoa. Where did that come from? And since when could you jump that far?" She asked. Dawn had jumped all the way from the bed to the door.

"It's the springs. I love my bed." she laughed as her mom hugged her.

"Does that mean you' e tested the springs before? Like when you're supposed to be sleeping?"

"What! No! How could you think that..."

Joyce gave her the mom look and Dawn cracked under the pressure.

"Okay, maybe just a little..." She held her thumb and index about half an inch apart.

"I see..."

"Moooooom!"

Joyce smiled and picked Dawn up and put her to bed she started to tickle her and Dawn gave up in a fit of giggles.

After Dawn had finally caught her breath Joyce said, "You can put all that stuff away. You have a bit of growing up to do before you can start planing your wedding."

"But mom..."

"No more buts young lady. Now go to sleep, like you're supposed to."

"Kay. But someday I will be Mrs. Harris." She promised.

"When the day comes and you're old enough, then we'll see. Okay."

For Dawn that might as well be a promise set in concrete. "Okay mommy. Goodnight."

"Goodnight sweet pea." She gave her a hug and tucked her in. She couldn't help herself as she saw the bye smile on her daughter's face. 'I'm going to have to keep a close watch on that..." She sighed as she walked out of the room. She turned off the lights and closed the door behind her.

**  
Sunnydale, CA.  
Sunnydale High School  
**

* * *

The next day was a weird one for Xander. He found himself doing things he never thought he'd ever do. He wasn't in total control, but he wasn't shoved to the side either. He was also able to feel Dawn through the connection. She was a distraction and when he concentrated on her the other side of him took over. It did things like eat a young piglet. It was okay, but ugh. Raw meat. Then the rest of the day would go by and Then he was with Willow. She was trying to tutor him in math again, the other fled to the back of his mind. The coward. He was stuck learning math with his Willow for a long, looooong time. At least thirty minutes.

He now found himself wrestling with Buffy in an empty classroom. The other was trying to force itself on his girl. 'No way!' he growled and took back control. The green glow in his eyes recessed and he looked down at Buffy. "Sorry..." He said as Buffy took the opening to clobber him on the head with a table.

"So am I." Buffy said as she dragged him back to the library and locked him I the cage.

When he woke up in the cage as his friends were getting ready to cast something on him.

At the end of the ritual he felt like a part of him was getting caged up and other fled through the link. On the other end of the connection Dawn felt something enter her body again. She looked around and found that she was alone. She shrugged and went back changing her clothes for gym class. She was the last one as usual.

It was all a blur after that as the library was attacked by the rest of the Pack.

The next day after the whole thing with the ex-zoo keeper and the rest of the pack taken care of Xander was telling his friends that he remembered nothing of the ordeal.

The girls left for class and Xander was walking beside Giles.

"Funny thing; the book never mentioned memory loss anywhere in the book..."

Xander saw that the watcher had guessed his secret. "Mount me, stuff me..." Xander zipped his mouth and Giles smiled.

'At least he learned something. I think a closer eye should be kept on young Mr. Harris. There are usually a few physical changes involved. It's best to keep an eye...' Xander had left for his class and the watcher let him go.

Part II

**Summer time.  
Sunnydale, CA.**

* * *

"Moooooommm!"

"Dawn, what did I tell you about shouting in the house?" Joyce asked.

"Not to do it."

"And?"

Dawn gave her mother a put upon melodramatic sigh and said, "and to apologize after I do it."

"So...?"

"Sorry."

"Al right. What did you want?"

"When's Xander coming over?" she asked.

"He should be here in a minute. Was this why you ditched your father early? You wanted to get back to Xander, and not your old mother." Joyce guessed. Hank has told her that Dawn wanted to go back to her mommy in Sunnydale, but Joyce thought that coming back to Xander had more to do with her behaviour than her wanting her mother.

So far Xander had been the perfect gentleman with both her daughters. She wouldn't mind I he dated Buffy, instead if that older boy who was tutoring her in History. At least he was Buffy's age and she could trust him with Dawn. He was a wonderful babysitter and Dawn did whatever he asked. She knew why Dawn was well behaved with the older boy and she was taking advantage of the situation. Trusting her child with someone she knew would do his all to protect her was a load off her mind. Dawn took terrible advantage of the boy, but he never complained. In fact he looked like he enjoyed being with Dawn as much as her daughter enjoyed being with him.

She didn't know how it was going to play out as she got older, but for now the puppy love stage was just fine.

Ding! Dong!

"HE"S HERE!" Dawn took off like a rocket to answer the door.

"XANDER!" Dawn squealed and jumped the love of her young life.

Xander caught her easily and swung her around. He felt the connection with Dawn strengthen as soon as there was contact. A surge of energy went through his body. He felt her excitement through the link. "Hi Dawn Patrol. Did you miss me?"

"Xander..." Dawn squealed again and hugged him tighter. She felt the warm all over as she felt his love for her.

"Hello Mizz Summers did you do something new with your hair? Dawn. You didn't tell me that you had a sister older than Buffy."

Joyce laughed as the young man openly flirted with her with Dawn hanging from his neck. He held her up easily in one arm. With he other he shook her hand.

"Ha ha ha. Xander you're terrible." Joyce giggled. She didn't mind the flirting at all. She knew his heart was Buffy's for the asking. If she would only just ask already.

"Xander stop flirting with my mom. You're only supposed to flirt with me." Dawn pouted and Xander gave her a tighter hug and a quick tickle. She squealed and giggled. She also wiggled in his arms.

"Sorry. Won't happen again today. Sorry Mizz S. but my heart belongs to another. Although you're my go to if I get shot down tonight." he wiggled his eyebrows.

Joyce laughed as her daughter protested. It felt good to laugh, and the only time she laughed lately had been when Xander was around. The attention was faltering, but she hadn't been into High School boys when she was in High School. Although the attention was extremely faltering. "So what's on for tonight?"

"I'm thinking dinner and a movie. That good for you My Dawnie?"

Dawn squealed again when he called her his, "sounds good." She added when she removed her head from his shoulder.

"Cool. Willow's meeting us at the mall. We'll hit the food court before the movie start. That way we won't have to glut on the expensive theatre food."

"Sounds good to me. Make sure you at least slip her something healthy in between all that junk binge."

"Will do ma'am." He saluted.

Joyce slipped him enough money to cover all expenses for the both of them with the rest going to cover his duties as a babysitter.

"C'mon Dawnie. We don't want to be late. Otherwise Willow will track us down and hunt us like dogs." He shivered theatrically to let her know he was being serious.

"You'd better go then. We don't want Willow to become a criminal and sent to jail for murder. Have fun." Joyce called after them as Xander put Dawn on his shoulders and ran with her making airplane noises.

Joyce was ready for that and snapped a few pictures for later. She smiled as she heard her little girl's laughter ring out all over he neighbourhood. 'If Buffy doesn't snatch that boy up soon he's going to be off the market.' She snapped a few more pictures before they disappeared around the corner.

Part III

**Halloween.**

Sunnydale, CA.

* * *

Dawn saw Xander grab a gun from the bargain bin at Ethan's costume shop. "What are you going as Xander?" Dawn pounced like a panther at her future husband.

"Hey Dawnie." Xander got the usual boost whenever Dawn Summers clamped n to him. He knew that they had this connection ever since the 'Pack' thing. He wasn't sure why she wasn't possessed like he and the others were. 'Maybe being the slayers sister gave her some kind of immunity.' He said, "I'm thinking Arnold from the predator movie."

"That was a cool one. Thanks again for taking me."

"You're welcome Dawnmeister. Your my favourite movie partner." his smile made Dawn's day.

"That's cause we boy make the same action sounds as they do on he screen." She said knowingly.

"True. Buffy and Willow just don't get it like we do." he sighed in sadness.

"C'mon. I wanna show you my costume." She dragged him to the racks. After she picked up her choice, Xander frowned.

"You're going as a hooker. Gee Dawn. I don't think your mom will let you out of the house looking like that."

"No. I'm going as Arnold's wife from true lies."

Xander frowned, but before he could say anything Willow and Buffy came over.

"The Butt pain bothering you Xander." Buffy asked.

"I'm on strike from talking to Buffy. Dawn could you please tell her that I don't mind hanging with the prettiest Summers girl in Sunnydale."

'YES! TAKE THAT BUFFY!' Dawn laughed and turned to her sister. "Xander said you stink, so you should go away and take a shower before you stink up the place." Dawn repeated Xander's message in her own words.

"Ugh. He so did not. I'm standing right here." Buffy threatened to pinch her, but Dawn his behind Xander before she could do so. She was a lot faster than she used to be. Buffy still haven't learned to compensate for her speed properly.

Buffy let Dawn get away with the name calling for now. She'd deal with her later. "Please Xander. I already said I'm sorry. The next time Larry tries to pound you to a pulp I'll so stay out of it."

"See. That's all I'm saying." Xander smiled at her.

Buffy smiled and gave Xander a quick hug now that she was forgiven."this man code is so complicated."

"What did you get Xander?" Willow asked. She has a ghost bag with her.

Xander saw the bag and guessed what she would go out as. "Another Boo Will?"

"Uh huh. You?"

"Still the two dollars costume king. He showed her the toy gun.

"Mafia hood?" Buffy guessed.

"Nope Arnold from Predator." He replied.

"Oh. I think you should a few other things then."

"Oh like what?" He asked her.

Now that her advice was sought. Buffy took Xander by the hand and added a few other things to his costume. Camouflage paint, shoulder padding, 'cause hello 'Arnold', when she was done they wound up at a display for a Victorian era dress. She sighed when she looked up at it.

The shop owner popped up from behind Xander making him jump. "Jezz. Don't do that man." He complained.

Ethan ignored the hanger on and concentrated on getting the slayer into the dress. Turning her into a helpless victim was the height of irony.

"C'mon. You can help me with my costume while the creepy stalker talks to Buffy." Dawn pulled him away as he heard the stalker talk about something, something hidden princess something. Xander knew why Buffy was looking at the dress like that. Probably to impress the dead pedophile.

He let the thought drop and helped Dawn with her costume. There was a lot less bile in that activity than there would if he stuck around.

Part IV

****

Sunnydale, CA.  
Easter.  


* * *

Dawn was in her Sunday dress. It was Easter and they were getting ready to go to church. Xander has promised that he would be with her.

Things had been tense lately. Ever since Buffy's boyfriend had turned into Stalker Guy. He was okay at first but something really bad must have happened between him and Buffy to make him act like that. He had almost had her while she was coming home from Janice's house But Xander had shown up out of nowhere and drove him off.

While he making threats to Xander she used the taser he gave her a few weeks ago to tag him in the leg. That's when she saw Angel's face change.

Xander had kicked him with the steel toed shoes he was wearing lately. She grabbed Xander's hand at that point and dragged him off screaming.

She thought that Xander's eyes might have glowed green at one point while they were holding her hands as they ran.

Later when they were safe he told her all about the hidden world that threatened them. He also told her what a hero her sister was. That she risked her life on nightly bases keeping the world safe from vampires and demons. He had promised to keep her safe from everything, and she believed him.

Xander was like the best boyfriend ever. Too bad he was dating that skank Cordelia Chase. She knew it was a phase, and probably had something to do with her enormous chest. She couldn't wait until she had an enormous so she could fight back. He still hanged with her, but he brought Cordelia with him when he did.

She tried to make nice with her by trying to teach her all about makeup and fashion. So she was a little better than Buffy in that regard.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: see previous.

Part I

**Slayers.**

Sunnydale, CA.  
Main Street Water Tower.

* * *

Xander laid down the sniper rifle on his left side. He head the soft steps of small feet as they climbed the tower. A quick check into the link told him that Dawn had almost reached the top of the water tower.

He rolled over and crawled towards her and caught her arm before she could catch the last rung on the steel ladder.

He pulled her up and sent a strong emotion down the link that was the equivalent of *What are you doing?*

The emotion that came back from the young girl said *I'm keeping you company.*

*On a school night?* he wasn't happy with her.

She shrugged and ignored him. She looked around the sniper's nest he set up and noticed that once again he forgot to bring food.

She silently took off her pink backpack and took out a thermos of hot chocolate and a small box of her mother's double chocolate chip cookies.

'Gotta thank mom again for baking these. She knows that he keeps watch over Buffy when he doesn't join her on patrol.'

One sniff told Xander that the the Summers women knew what he was doing and that they approved and supported his efforts.

Dawn poured the hot chocolate into two cups, and passed one to Xander.

He took it and then took a cookie from the box when she passed that as well. The cookies were still warm. He stifled a moan of pleasure when he bit into the first cookie.

Dawn had taken his position, she moved the AA-12 auto combat shotgun out of the way. She used the scope on top of the sniper rifle to see what Buffy and Faith were up to while Xander took a break.

She saw the two slayers run after a pair of vampires into a dead end alley. 'Idiots.' She though as she nudged Xander and got ready to go to work. 'Don't they know that when they run into an alley like that it's usually a trap.

Xander spotted for her while he munched on a cookie. He trusted her. Helen Tasker knew what she was doing when her husband Harry was done training her.

Since Xander dressed as Arnold in his grandfather's old ranger fatigues he has the memories of private Harris and all the memories of every soldier that Arnold portrayed in the movies. Even the True Lies one. He knew what Harry Tasker did to train his wife up to par.

Using sign language he fed her targets. While he Slayer played inside the Alley she got busy removing the blood sucking pest with the special tracer rounds Xander made in his parents basement.

When the two slayer left the dusty alley into the dusty street they were clueless. They thought that the ashes had drifted outside. They left without once looking back. Had they done that they would have seen the light pricks in the brick walls on either side of the alley where the ammo still burned. They would be extinguished in another minute. Xander used environment friendly tracer rounds.

Environment friendly to Xander meant that the town didn't burn down around his ears when he was done shooting.

Xander quickly packed up everything into a duffel bag and used a modified zip line, with Dawn attached to his back. As usually happened with prolonged contact with Dawn he got stronger and stronger. The modified super soldier formula that the swim coach had dowsed the swim team with had pushed his limits to the superhuman categories. Primal possession. Halloween and the super soldier formula had made for one tough Xander. He had stamina equal to that of a slayer. His healing factor was probably just as strong if not stronger. Speed and strength were two to three times normal. He hid the changes from everyone except Dawn and Joyce.

The longer he was in contact with Dawn the stronger and faster he got. His senses became sharper. The same thing happened to Dawn as well. It also took a few minutes for the energy to fade. He longer the contact lasted the longer the charge stayed.

**Slayers.**

Sunnydale, CA.  
Sunnydale High School Library.

* * *

"You are not putting this on me." Faith shouted at Buffy and the watchers.

"You stabbed him." Buffy accused.

"But you threw him at her Buff..." Xander walked in with a duffel bag over his shoulders. "...what's with all the fuss? At worst he was friendly fire." He passed the donut box towards Faith.

Faith didn't know what to think. Xander had come in and a talked like this whole thing was nothing and now he was offering her donuts. The guy was crazy, but at least he wasn't accusing her of being a murdering killer. 'Ooh strawberry filled jelly.' She grabbed it before Buffy did. She knew it was her favourite. Xander grinned when he saw that.

She grinned back.

He then offered the donut box to Buffy who looked around and fished two strawberry filled jelly from the bottom row. She grinned at Faith in triumph.

Xander smirked at the two of them and placed the box on the table. If the watchers wanted a donut they could grab it on their own.

"It was murder. Slayer Lehaine killed a human." Wesley began pompously.

Xander snorted in derision.

"Now see here you cheeky bugger..."

Xander held up a hand to stop his righteous outrage, "What was the deputy mayor of Sunnydale doing at that time of night, and in that part of town?" He asked Giles while ignoring Wesley.

"Y, you were there?" Giles asked.

"Saw the whole thing from my nest."

"What did you see?" Giles put his hand up to stop Wesley from interrupting.

Xander described in great detail exactly what happened.

"Then, then Faith was right? You threw the man at her?" He asked Buffy gently, and without accusing her of anything.

Buffy squirmed but with an eye witness around she nodded her head in confirmation.

"I, I, I see..." Giles took off his glasses and with a sad sigh began to clean them.

"This must be reported immediately..."

"Why?" Xander asked.

"A human has been killed by the Slayer..." He began indignantly.

"So what? Not like he was an innocent or anything..."

"How do you mean?" Giles was clutching for straws at this point. Anything to save his slayer.

"Oh come on Giles. The freakin' deputy mayor of Sunnydale walked between all those vamps and not a one dared lay a hand on him? What kind of an innocent man is that?" Xander asked his mentor.

"Are you sure about this?"

Xander nodded, "Crystal clear."

"Preposterous...how can you take the words of this callow youth? He obviously..."

"Did you just call me a callow youth?" Xander roared at the young watcher. The menace he projected drove Wesley back several steps.

Faith smirked at the display of naked menace and testosterone. 'Yummy. Stamina and hidden talent. Why didn't he show me this before? I would have taken him for a second ride.'

Buffy's panties were getting wet and she turned red. She also kept quite as a mouse not wanting any attention focused on her just now.

"Giles..." Xander huffed angrily.

"Yes Xander?"

"What's callow mean?"

'Yeah. That's what I wanna know too?' Faith thought.

"Oh for heaven's sakes. Mr. Giles surely you are not going to take this child's word..."

A knife went through the table right next to Wesley's hand. It touched skin, without drawing blood.

"XANDER!" Giles growled.

"Who does this guy think he is. I've been at this for well over two years now. I've been keeping an eye out over both of them from the start to make sure nothing got the drop on them. I clearly saw what happened from my nest."

"See. His lies are plain to see. How was he able to see... In the dark?" Wesley crowed.

"Sharper than normal senses would do it." Xander said casually.

"And of course as a normal human those senses would not be of much help on a dark night..."

Giles looked at Xander and asked, "The Hyena Primal possession?"

"Not only that." Xander confirmed.

"Wha, what? What he devil are you talking about?" Wesley didn't like where this was going.

"Xander was briefly possessed by a Primal Hyena a few yeas ago." Giles explained.

"The Masai ritual?" Wesley asked.

"Yes."

"How is it that he retains his sanity? All reported Primal possession are either killed within six month or go insane should they escape after a year."

"You appear to be quite knowledgable about the subject Wesley? Giles complimented the younger man who preened under the positive reinforcement. "You are of course quite correct. Had Xander not been cleansed he would be either dead..." He looked at Buffy, who nodded back in confirmation. "Or in an insane ward as you have surmised. An anti-possession ritual was preformed within a few days. I believe a few slight enhancement were left behind. Such as stamina, healing and senses." Giles guessed.

"Yeah, plus the swim team." Xander added.

Wesley's estimate of the young man went up a tiny bit. It also explained his longevity. But the last comment did not make much sense, "What does a swim team have to do with our current discussion?"

"The, the teams coach was using experimental drugs on his charges. There were dire consequences of course..."

"What sort of consequences?" Wesley interrupted.

Giles glared at the younger man. A bit of the Ripper must have leaked through, because Xander, and the slayers smelled his fear. "S, S, Sorry." He quickly apologized.

Giles simply nodded his head. He continued, "The athletes were changed into some sort of half-man half-fish monster. Xander had gone undercover to foil the fool's deadly disregard for human life. The concoction he came up with was..."

"A super soldier derivative. Russian version of the super seal so to speak."

"How, how do you know this?" Giles asked.

"Halloween."

"Halloween?" Wesley repeated.

Giles and Xander ignored him.

"I thought you went as that Austrian actor Arnold..."

"Sure, but I used my grandfather's WWII fatigues. He was a Howling Commando during the war you know. Fought with Captain America himself. He knows a thing or two about that stuff, and no I'm so not telling you how he found out. That information is still classified secret."

"How, how many possessions have you been through?" Wesley asked. The more the young man and Mr. Giles spoke of this subject the more he was forced to re-evaluate his estimates of this young man and his hidden talents. He also wondered why none if this was reported to the council? Although to be fair to Mr. Giles he appeared to be just as surprised as he was.

"Just the three. Buffy had two. Willis's the lucky one. She still possession free." Xander smirked.

"Slayer Summers?" Wesley asked.

Buffy sighed, "eighteenth century noble woman and a 1950s ghost."

"I say. How well versed are you on that time period?" He asked.

"Very." Buffy replied.

"Could, could we bring this back to what's pertinent?" Giles asked.

"I apologize Mr. Giles, but none of this is in your reports to the council."

"They bloody well are. But no one appears to have believed a word I've sent. Otherwise four council teams would be permanently camped in this very office." Giles channeled his inner Ripper again.

Wesley was getting the idea that the all the people here had hidden depth. Even Mr. Giles it appeared. "You are quite correct of course. And, and how did Mr. Harris avoid the same fate as the rest of his teammates?" He asked.

"Went through detox, and I had a lot less exposure to the serum."

"I'm confused from what I understand only one exposure was needed to produce the American Super Soldier."

They all looked at Xander.

"Hyena must be good for something after all." He lied. It was the contact with Dawn, and the energy she kept juicing him with that cleaned up the worst effects. "What was left behind worked with the changes the bitch made."

"It, it all makes more sense now. I've often wondered how you could survive punishment that rightly only a slayer should. Your stamina and healing factor must be on par with Buffy." He guessed.

"I'll say." Faith confirmed.

Buffy looked at Faith, and saw how she was looking at Xander, "Ewww. You, and Faith?" She asked already knowing the answer.

"You mean you've never been?" Buffy's face gave away the answer, "your loss blondie. You don't know what you're missing. Unlike you, I like 'it' hard and hot." She sent a dig at her rival.

"Faith!" Giles growled.

Faith shrugged he was scary, but she ate scary for breakfast. She was a slayer after all.

"What else?" Wesley asked before the girls derailed his train of thought.

"Sharper senses, which helped me see what happened, and I'm probably two to three times stronger than you are."

"I, I'll have you know that I was at the top of my class at the academy." Wesley sputtered.

"My point." Xander conceded that he thought Wesley was probably in great shape, for a normal human being.

It dawned on Wesley what the younger man was saying, "Oh."

"Go on Xander. No more surprises."

Xander pulled to silenced pistols from the back of his pants and started blasting away at the walls and some furniture. When he was done he put down his guns on the table.

The watchers and slayers had all divided to the ground when Xander started shooting. They got up slowly when they heard the guns hit the table top.

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL DO YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING YOU BLOODY FOOL!" Ripper was large and in charge.

Xander wasn't impressed. "Bugs."

Faith had enough, "then you should have used a fuckin' can of raid. I'm going home. I've had enough weirdness for one day." She left post haste, but not fast enough that Xander couldn't tell that she was running scared.

Giles glared.

"Electronic bugs." Xander clarified.

"BUGGER!" He removed the glasses to clean them again, "find out who." He demanded.

"Mayor." Xander told him.

"Are you absolutely certain?"

"Yep. Had Willow check. After the deputy bought the farm. I began to dig and got Willow to cover all he electronic trails. Man is dirtier and older than dirt. He's gotta be around a hundred and fifty years old." He guessed.

"Bugger." More quietly this time. He hated dealing with bloody black mages. He also hated dealing with 'Bloody Black Mages' who were politicians. Those were the worst sort. They always wanted your support while they screwed you.


	3. Chapter 3

**Part I**

**Slayers.**

Sunnydale, CA.  
Master Bates Motel.

* * *

"Stay back." Xander told Dawn as he entered through the broken door to Faith's motel room.

"You don't have to tell me twice. Ewww. It reeks." Dawn wrinkled her nose in disgust. Her senses were a lot sharper than normal. Now, she so wished they weren't.

"Why are you here again?"

"I told you. Twice!" She was a bit irritable with her future husband to be. "You will not be getting senile." She ordered.

"What are you going on about now?" He was teasing her mercilessly. He hid his smirk from her. Now that he had more experience with the female half of the species he knew what was safe, and more importantly what wasn't. Cordy had trained him to perfection; by her standards anyway. He was sure that there were probably huge gaps in his education. Movies, possessions and his grandfather's memories told so.

The door was smashed beyond the ability of most demon species. 'They used heavy hitters to take down the doors. 'Dust at the threshold.' He frowned, something wasn't right. He knelt down and examined the floor with a flashlight. 'Make that a lot of dust at the threshold.' He continued step by careful step; taking care not to step on any evidence. Not 'cause he was afraid of Sunnydale's finest, but because he wanted as clear a picture as possible of what went down.

By the time he made it all the way inside, he had a better understanding of what happened, "Dawn come inside please." he wanted her inside with him. He so didn't need to worry about her, or about who she might kill if she felt threatened. Helen Tasker had left a nasty set of ingrained responses. Dawn wanted to see them pee their pants before she put them away. He shivered. He once again vowed to never cross the little, but adorable tyrant.

"No! It stinks.!"

"I'll tickle you until you pee your pants...again." He threatened.

"You wouldn't. Xannnderrrr! You promised." She whined, but did as she was told. She kept wriggling her nose trying to adapt to the smell. She couldn't, "Ewww, Ewww, ewwww, ewwww, ewwwww, ewwwwwwwwwww, ewwwwwwwwwwwww!"

Xander grabbed her by the scruff if her neck. Looked deeply into her eyes and sighed in exasperation. She wasn't acting up. He picked her up and she immediately sought refuge in the crook of his neck; inhaling his scent in an effort to overcome the badness that was the 'room-from-hell.'

Xander carried her outside, when he tried to put her down she wouldn't let go. He left her attached to his neck like a limpet mine. He couldn't really blame her. The smells were overpowering. Had he not learned how to control his senses, he would have been in her shoes. 'I hope she doesn't throw up on me.'

*I felt that! Hey...How come there's no smell in here?* she asked.

*'Cause your projecting with your mind. It's some kind of mental shi...thing I read about in Giles' book on physic phenomena.*

*Why were you researching that?* she asked.

*Duh'!*

*Oh. You did that for me?* her excitement spurred her to hug him even tighter. Her thirteen years old body thankfully didn't have the full strength it would in a few years. Otherwise he would have dropped from lack of oxygen. 'I wonder if Joyce is this strong too.'

*Are you thinking about my mother?* she gasped.

"What? No!" He said out loud.

"You so are!" She accused. Xander had carried her across the parking lot, but the smell still clung to his clothes. "Yuck! Put me down!" She demanded. Her nose wrinkled again, "You stink ..." She sniffed her own clothes, "...and I smell...ugh! I so need a shower!"

"Hey. How come I stink, but you only smell?" He went back to teasing her to take her mind of the demon stink.

"I'm a girl. Cordy says girls smell, and guys stink!"

"So it's Cordy now? Since when?"

"Since you broke up you douf. You belong to me now, and don't you forget it." She dared him to disagree.

"What about Faith?" He asked.

"...Aghhh! You, you man..." She huffed; she decided not to puff, "Okay for you I'm willing to share." She conceded.

"Thank you, your Majesty! That's mighty big of you." Xander bowed before her 'Imperial Highness!', "Let's book 'Dano'." He told her. He took out his cell phone and dialed Giles at the Library.

"My name is not 'Dano'. I'm a girl! Not a guy! See I've got boobs now." She puffed up her chest.

"Meh! Man-boobs. Moobs. Take your pick." He picked her up and hugged her tight to his body, and ran with her hopping her hormones would kick in before she hurt him...severely.

**Slayers.**

Sunnydale, CA.  
Library.

* * *

"What's she doing here?" Buffy yelled.

"Dunno? She followed me home. Can I keep her?" He asked.

"Yeah sure knock yourself out." she then thought better of it, "Wait. Check with mom. She might object."

"Nu uh. Mom knows and I have her blessings and everything. It's official. You asked for my hand and I accepted. No take backs. You are so mine now. BWAHAHa ha ha ha!"

"Buffy she scaring me." Xander quivered.

"Whatever. You made your bed, now you get to lie in it." She cackled, "couldn't have happened to nicer guy."

"Buffy! You needn't rub salt in the wound." Giles told her.

"Oh no! I so needed to." She cackled some more. Xander moved away from both of the Summers sisters and hid behind Giles.

"Oh for...take it like a man." Giles berated him.

"No men here, just us mice."

Buffy snorted. "Ain't that the sad truth."

Giles sighed, "Children must we?"

"Oh yes we must Giles. We surely must." Buffy was having way too much fun. First Faith leaves and now the but-pain gets hitched. "So what are the protocols for a Hellmouth wedding? And is that anything like a shotgun wedding?" she asked with glee.

"Oh fuck me. I didn't think of that."

Buffy was about to complain about his language, but since they were married she knew they'd eventually get to it.

"Ah-ah, well, that is to say in the eyes of all infernal powers they are married, and-and in more than quite a few human cultures as well..."

"See. You're screwed. Hey wait...does that mean that we're related now?" She asked Giles.

"Um-uh, I would have to s-say yes." Giles agreed.

Cordelia chose that moment to walk in. One quick look and she knew something was up. Reading people and crowds and how to deal with them properly for her was a skill she excelled at. "What just happened?" Buffy looked at Xander and snickered. "What did you do?" Her eyes narrowed.

"He proposed and I accepted. We even skipped the whole fiancé stage thing altogether.

Xander thought that might be a way out. "Nope. I asked if I could keep you? Among my people that is the engagement phase."

There was a crystal ring and the universe realigned itself properly.

"Gilesssss! That's so not fair. Can he even do that?" She asked.

"Since he did it. I would have to say that y-yes he can."

"You meanie. Just for that, I'm not putting out." She pressed her lips firmly and folded her hands in front of her shoulders to indicate her displeasure.

Cordelia knew she was going to regret it, but she wanted to ask, "What does 'putting out'; mean to you?"

"No more baked goods. I heard Janice talking about it with her mom. So, I'm so not sharing any of mom's cookies and pies with him."

Xander whimpered.

"That's, that's just mean and oh so appropriate. Just make sure your mom knows, or he'll try to make an end run around you to get the 'Goodies' through her. You gotta watch him. He's tricky that one."

"Thank you Cordelia. It's official I like you more than her." She pointed at her sister.

Buffy just shrugged. She wasn't about to give the stupid Hellmouth ideas. Her mom would kill her.

"That is quite enough out of all if you. Xander! My office! Now!"

Xander ran into the safety of Giles' office and away from the merciless girls.

Giles closed the door behind him. "What happened?"

Xander recognized the watchers demeanour. He decided to be professional about it. " It was a heavy assault of mixed hostiles. Demons, heavy hitters for the entry and lots of vamps to herd her. They payed a heavy price. It was made to look like they captured her, but from what I could tell she got away. They're still after her. Not sure why?"

Giles did the glasses ritual again, "If you had the resources could you follow her?"

Xander gave matter some careful thought. "Yeah. I think I can, but I would have to start now."

Giles walked to his desk. Opened a drawer, and took out a silver credit card. "You'd best get started then."

"Kay." Xander smirked and walked out with a smile.

"Where do you think you're going?" Dawn demanded.

"After Faith where else."

"Not without me you're not."

"You better tell your mother that."

"Okay..." She took out the cell phone Xander bought for her. She dialled the gallery. "Hi mom."

"..."

"Uh huh. Yeah. Okay. By the way. Xander proposed and I accepted can I go with him to tell Faith?"

"..."

"Yay. You're like the best mom ever. Bye." She put her phone in her backpack and held out her hand.

Xander took it with hesitation.

Cordelia approved, "Who's paying for all that?" She asked.

"Giles. He sprung for the good card." He held out the platinum AMEX .

"In that case I'm coming with. You two need a chaperone."

"I would never take advantage of her." Xander defended himself against this malicious slander.

"I know. It's her I'm worried about, not you." Dawn pouted. She didn't care. She was far too young. "Chop chop. We're burning daylight let's move." General Cordy was in charge. She gave them their marching orders and surprisingly they obeyed. Xander from long habit and training and Dawn cause she was Cordy's apprentice.


	4. Chapter 4

**Part I**

****

Sunnydale, CA.  
Sunnydale Sammy's Used Car Lot.  


* * *

"C'mon Miss Chase have a heart. You're robbing me blind." Sammy pleaded. He was on his knees. "I'll cut my own throat to give you a fair deal, but C'mon."

"Get off the ground you disgusting worm." Cordelia sneered. 'It's good to be back.' she thought. "Either make the sale, or don't. I'm on my to L.A. I can always pick up something there.

"Miss Chase please." he pleaded.

"I can't take this anymore. Get off the fucking ground now Sammy, before I deck you." Xander threatened his cousin.

"Hey you stay out of it Xander. The customer is always right."

"I've got your customer right here." he growled as he made a fist and started to swing.

"Down boy!" Cordy ordered her ex boyfriend.

"Cordy it's my card. All I want is a car..."

"Ha! Have you even checked the name of the card Giles gave us?" she took out the card and waved it in front of his face.

"Bearer? Man those guys burn me up. They have that kind of money to throw around and nothing for the real effort. We could have used, hell Buffy could have used oof..." Dawn elbowed her fiancé in the ribs.

"Hi. I'm Dawn. Xander's fiancé."

"Well hello pretty lady." Sammy got off his knees and took Dawn hand, and bowed over it.

"Hey!" Cordy hit Sammy up the side of his head. "She's thirteen and your cousin's fiancé. Get your hands off before he rips them off."

"What's with the all the threats. C'mon Xander we're family..."

"That's the only reason your arms are still attached. Now back off and give me the keys to that SUV."

"What about the corvette?" Cordy demanded.

"Fuck it. I'll take the corvette off your hands if we're done in four minutes."

"That 'vette's in mint condition. Just like when I took it from the auction at...oh sorry to bring it up miss Chase, but you know..."

"SAMMY! Three fucking minutes and fifty one seconds and counting..." Xander was looking at his watch.

"Jeez man. Since when did you turn into such a hard ass like gramps."

"That's it I'm going to kill him. Get off me Dawn. Move out of the way Cordy..." Cordy slapped him hard. "What was that for?"

"Calm down." she said, as she put a pleasant smile on her face and gave him an icy glare that froze him in his tracks.

"Okay, but when you're ready to kill him let me know." he looked at his watch again, "Three minutes, seven seconds..."

Cordelia sighed, but she let the douf be, he was doing his part after all. Too bad Sammy was family otherwise the threats portion of the negotiations would have been a lot more effective. "Move Sammy." she gave Sammy the same pleasant smile and icy glare she learned from her mother.

"Moving, moving. Hotcha. Two fer. Never had that before." he rushed the paper work before Xander carried out his threat and left. He was a mean one. Just like gramps. He also knew what he did during the night. The Harris clan usually left the nightlife alone and they let the clan be. The family was about to talk to Xander until great aunt Flora pointed out that they were left alone because men like her brother and Xander rose up occasionally and reminded the scum why it's not a good idea to mess with the Harris clan. Ever since then Xander had cart blanch to do whatever the fuck he and his friends did.

"Twenty two seconds." Xander kept looking at his watch.

"You're killing me here Xander..." Sammy raced from the office with two sets of keys.

"Fourteen..."

"Here you go miss Chase..."

"Seven..."

"Catch..." Sammy threw the other set at Xander.

Xander caught them without even looking, "Two. Where do I sign?"

"Right here..."

"Let's go." Xander scribbled his name took the paperwork and got into the SUV. Dawn climbed next to him and Cordy climbed into her car.

"Hello baby. Did you miss me? I missed you. C'mon let's go for a spin. L.A. here we come."

Part II

****

U.S. 1 Highway.  
California.  


* * *

"On the road again." Xander sang at the top of his lungs. The windows were open and Dawn was sleeping through the noise like a baby. She did that. He found it adorable.

Cordy was racing ahead of them in the Corvette. She was really burning rubber. Their first stop was a place called Caritas or something like that. they'd pick up Faith trail from there.

**Caritas,  
Parking Lot.**

**LA, CA  
**

* * *

"I'm telling you it's right there." Xander pointed at the empty parking lot.

"AND I'm telling you there's nothing there!" Cordelia waved her hand to include the entire empty parking lot.

"Xander, I'm hungry." Dawn complained. He only gave her two jalapeño whoppers from Burger King in the last two hours. She was starving.

"I know. The bottomless pit that must be fed, will be fed. This place is supposed to be a club of some kind."

"So let's go in already. I want food."

Xander knew all about Dawn's secret super powers. They included: the void: her stomach, the asbestos tongue: 'cause no way in hell is he ever eating any of the toxic dishes she calls food. Unlimited energy: although that one just might be the candy she hides in her backpack. Thank god no one has introduced true caffeine into her diet yet. He shuddered as images of Willow on a caffeine high went through his head.

Cordy saw him shudder and somehow she connected the dots. "Willow on a caffeine high?" She asked.

"Yeah. Can I please have your hand?" He held out his right hand, and waited for her to take it.

"This goes against my better judgment." She told him.

"I know. Thank you."

"You are so going to owe me if this doesn't pan out."

"You mean the 'Vette, doesn't count?"

"I only misplaced it. No one is ever taking my baby from me again."

'Cordelia logic: No of course not. Getting my corvette back doesn't count. At best a minor favor to be claimed...never.'

The three walked into the empty lot. Cordy on the right and Dawn on the left.

Xander knocked on the door in front of him.

"Neat trick. How are you doing that?" Cordy was impressed. She wasn't admitting to anything until it's a proven fact.

As far as Cordy was concerned a door opened in mid-air. She tried to take a step back, but Xander held firm. That's one of things she liked about him. Hidden depth. She regretted the decision to break up with him, but a rebar of iron through her side was a big clue that someone didn't want them to hook up. He was a great kisser but not worth her life. When she found out who was pulling the strings she was so showing them why she was the 'Queen Bitch' of Sunnydale High.'

**Caritas  
Lounge.**

LA, CA  


* * *

It took some convincing on Xander's part and a few way, way over the top threats from Cordy, but all three of them were eventually admitted into the club.

Both Xander and Cordy were over eighteen, but No way was Dawn going to pass. She was restricted to the restaurant portion.

Dawn was busy eating her weight in a Natcho Supreme dish that was the size of the small round table.

"She's in hog heaven." Xander observed while they waited for the host.

"Eat like a hog, be the hog. Seriously where does she put it all?"

"Seriously. You've been with me on Dawn sitting how many times, and you still ask?" Xander snarked.

"I still say there's something inhuman in her make up. No way..." she was interrupted by the arrival of a green skinned, horned demon with red eyes.

"Well hello. What can I do for you pretty lady?" Lorne asked.

Cordy gave the pleasant demon her best mega-watt smile. That and her charisma was her super power.

"Hi. I'm Cordelia Chase and this is Xander." she said, introducing herself and Xander.

"I'm your Host. Lorne." Lone gave her his most charming smile, "Now what can I do for you crazy kids?"

"We're looking for a friend and someone thought we should start here first." she told him.

"Alright sweetness...do I even want to know who sent you my way?"

"I wouldn't, he's pretty disreputable in my opinion..." Xander dug his elbow into her ribs, but not too hard. He wasn't suicidal after all, "What's your problem?" she glared.

"I think he's trying to be discreet." Lorne told her with a laugh.

"Well he's failing miserably..."

"Remind me again why you're here..."

"I'm here because without my guidance this quest of yours is bound to crash and burn in a spectacular explosion getting most of everyone you know killed."

"You might be going a teeny tiny bit over the top there precious." Lone interjected.

"You think?" asked Xander as he rolled his eyes at Cordy's over the top act. He wondered why she was doing the uber bitch routine.

"Love the act kids, but seriously, why are you here?" he asked again.

"We really are after a missing friend. We're not sure if she's been kidnapped or if she's on the run from whoever attacked her." Xander explained.

"If she's in that kind of trouble why don't you call the police?" Lorne asked.

"She's the freaking Slayer. She is the police. Can you help or are you gonna blow smoke up my ass?" Cordy asked.

"As pleasant as that imagery might be I'm going to take a pass on that. Really, thank you." Lorne back away a bit. 'Lovely girl, so could use a personality transplant.'

"How much is this gonna cost? Our resources are limited." Xander offered.

"The service is free, but there's a catch..." Lorne sipped from the drink one of his girls brought over.

"What kind of catch. I'm sorta attached to my soul. I have plans to use it for the next little while." Xander said seriously.

"I don't do souls honey bunch of...I do songs. You need to sing for me to tell you what you need to know."

"You want us to sing? Wouldn't it be easier if we offered blood?" Xander asked.

"Do I look like a vamp to you? I don't think so Sam. I'm an anagogic demon. I can tell your fortune and give you hints on where to go and what to do, but to do that I need to hear you sing. That's the only caveat I have. My power doesn't work any other way." Lorne explained.

"What's the problem. I'll go out and sing a few songs and I get my fortune told. What could be easier? Where do I start?" Cordelia asked.

"Blood would be easier. Trust me." Xander whispered.

Lorne looked strangely at the man child. "On that stage." he pointed to the small stage.

"Wait here I'll be right back." she ordered Xander.

"Do you have an escape hatch somewhere?" Xander begged.

"She can't be that bad...She's got a great set of lungs..."

"And yet I'm ready to chew my own feet off to escape the coming torture..."

"You're a riot bubkiss. Don't ever change. She's got her choice ready, let's listen. It's the polite thing to do." Lorne told him

Xander knew that it was, no matter how bad the next few minutes were going to be, he would endure. It was like the nice green demon said, it the polite thing to do. With a heavy, sad smile Xander got ready to have his soul tortured.

"That's the spirit let's give her a listen..."

After she was done Lorne turned to Xander and said, "You should have warned me."

"I tried."

"You didn't try hard enough. She killed Mandy. Barry Manolo is spinning in his grave as we speak.

"I thought he was still alive?" Xander asked.

"Not after that performance. I'd kill myself too, but I'm against violence."

"How does that work by the way? You being a demon and all I mean?"

"I'm a lover not a fighter. I'd rather sing than fight. My dear mother would spit in disgust, down my throat after she removed my head of course..."

"Of course." Xander agreed.

"I see you know mother."

"I know a 'Mother'..."

"Shut your mouth Harris!" growled Cordy. "I know you were talking about me behind my back."

"It's all about you. Isn't it Cordy."

"Of course it is. What else is more important?" she wondered.

"We were talking about my mother." Lore explained.

"Oh. Carry on." she gave the two permission to go with their conversation.

"Thank you, your Majesty." Xander did the mock bow again.

"Whatever. I'll be with Dawn when you're done."

"But it's your future." Xander told her.

"I know what my future is Xander. I'm going to be powerful, rich and famous." she left the two men looking at her back.

Xander was checking her behind. Cordy leaving was a sight to behold, her coming was pretty good too, but now she was leaving.

Lorne on the other hand had never seen anyone that self centered and he ran a demon club. "She's not kidding is she?"

"Nope."

The two shook their heads to clear their thoughts. Each for a different reason obviously. Lorne wasn't into humans that way.

"Did you get anything from that?" Xander asked.

"I did. Poor girl. Life isn't going to be nice to her. Oh well one out of three isn't too bad."

"Rich and famous?" Xander guessed.

"No. But powerful.."

"Can you tell me anything useful?"

"You need to go to sea Billy."

"Name's Xander."

"Just saying is all." Lorne shrugged. He then explained what Xander needed to do for the next part of his journey to catch up with Faith.

"So, a boat..."

"Looks like Cpt. Stubbing. Ahoy mate and all that."

"Thanks Lore. You've been a great help."

"Have fun lone wolf." Lorne took his drink and left. 'Oy. For this one I'll need the good stash.' he thought.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 7.**

**LA, CA  
Police Auction. **

* * *

"This place is a dump." declared the Queen.

"Lorne said we could pick up what we need for a song. I think I'll test his ability to predict the future is any good on something simple like this." Xander explained.

The Auctioneer began, "Next item on offer is a converted freighter. It was confiscated during last month' drug bust. The judge wants it out of police custody as fast as possible. He's worried about miss-use of evidence or some such crap."

"Dollar!" Xander shouted.

Everyone laughed. Even the auctioneer. "Alright folks, settle down." After the laughter died down, "This young man bid a dollar, let's go on. Do I hear two?" He joked.

Gunshots rang out and everyone ducked. Several masked men ran in guns blazing. Everyone fled to the nearest exit. Except Dawn. She wanted to see what was going on."

"YOU! GIRLY! ON THE FUCKING FLOOR NOW!" the armed thug pointed his machine pistol at Dawn.

Xander saw green. He threw his chair at the hood threatening his Dawn. His eye were glowing green at this point. Energy flooded his system from somewhere and the chair sailed across the hall with the force of a speeding train. It smashed the hood in body armor, but took him out, and had enough force behind it to nail the next two hoods behind him.

The Auctioneer saw the whole thing from his hiding place behind the podium. 'This kid just saved my bacon. If no one else bids he's so getting that boat.'

Xander ran over and grabbed Dawn and carried her back to Cordy's hiding place behind one of the overturned tables.

Ten minutes later most of the excitement died down as the police drove off most of the gang that tried to take over the Auction House. The three unconscious hoods were cuffed and taken away.

The Auctioneer stood back up and said, "I'm bid One U.S. dollar. Any further bids. He waited a few more moments, but since Xander, Dawn and Cordy were the only ones left, no one spoke up. Going once...Going twice...Gone! For one dollar. Here's your chit young man, pay the cashier on your way out." He banged his hammer to seal the deal. 'Consider the debt paid.' The Auctioneer watched the three teens as they left the hall.

"Cool! I wanna go for a boat ride now!" Dawn pleaded.

"Let's pay for it first Dawnmeister." Xander took her hand and led her to the cashier's office. Dawn was thrilled. He'd been taking her hand a lot lately. She got a jolt every time he did that. It made her go weak in the knees. If that wasn't a sign that it was love (Janice had said so) she didn't know what else was.

They paid the one dollar in cash, and took the ownership papers and were out of the building before anyone even noticed.

"What the hell just happened?" Cordy asked.

"I'm not sure, but let's get outta here before they change their minds."

"Ditto." Dawn agreed, but that could also be 'cause she wanted a boat ride.

"Tell me that you at least know how to pilot it?" Cordy asked.

"Yeah. I have the memories of a navy SEAL running around in my head. He could pilot pretty much any vehicle on the planet, and that includes the space shuttle for some reason. Weird!"

"I wanna a boat ride now!" Dawn demanded.

"You've trained her too well." Xander told Cordy.

"She's turning into quite the little tyrant. I'm so proud." Cordy beamed at her protégé.

Dawn beamed right back.

**  
LA, CA.**

**Wolfram and Hart. **

* * *

"Did you get it, Mr. Jeffries?"

"No Mr. Manners."

"Why ever not?" He asked quietly.

"Somehow the White Knight of Sunnydale managed to buy it from under us, for one dollar!"

"One dollar?"

"I thought so too. Someone's playing games. I thought you should know."

Harland Manners first instinct was to have Mr. Jeffries flayed for his failure, but he was a damn perceptive and competent operative for the firm. He always put the welfare of Wolfram and Hart first. "I see. I think you're right. Have them followed, and if the opportunity ever presents itself, please retrieve the our property. Don't be obvious. The White Knight is known to carry a grudge, and someone who could plan and take out a demon like the 'Judge' isn't someone you triffle with. If it was up to me I'd recruit him instead of Angelus, but we all do as we're told. As soon as possible Mr. Jeffries."

Mr. Jeffries recognized the dismissal for what it was. He had his orders, and he would carry them out to the best of his abilities. To do otherwise would be the death of him. He left without saying a word. Manners was already busy with something else.

'The White Knight. Maybe someday?' Manners went back to what he was doing before Jeffries gave him the news.

**  
LA, CA  
Police Marina**

* * *

Xander gave his paperwork to the Sgt. In charge of the docks.

Sgt. Vimes looked them over and grunted. He gave them directions, and told them that someone filled the ship to the brim with fuel. They could take it all the way to Hong Kong and back on what it carried in the fuel cells.

Xander thanked him and went to inspect his boat.

The first impression he got was that it was big.

"It's huge!" Dawn shouted in glee.

"Not too shabby. And look it even has a garage, wait here. I'm driving my baby inside. I don't trust it to some police flunky in the parking lot."

"Cordy it's a police parking lot." Xander's exasperation was over the top, but with Cordelia, totally warranted.

"Exactly! It's not safe there."

"She has a point Xander. You've seen all the movies. The cars in true police parking lot are always the first to go. I think you should bring ours in, oh see if there's room for it first."

Xander sighed, but checked. There was enough room for five cars and change. The ship was that huge. He also noticed a few bullet holes here and there. 'I'll take care of those later. I'd better drive the SUV behind Cordy. Might as well, free parking, beats paid anytime.'

After the cars were parked the three went up on deck and admired all the toys to be found. "Wow. Not too shabby." Cordy said. "This is definitely up to the standards I'm used to. You're so mooring this baby at the Sunnydale Marina. It'll be the best yacht there. I think I'll move in..." She saw the looks Xander and Dawn were giving her, "what...?" She knew what, "Okay, we'll move in."

"Better." Dawn told her. "I know mom won't let me move in until I'm eighteen, but I picking a room anyway."

"Why not? Looks like we can fit the whole gang here with room to spare." Xander told them.

"Nu, uh. I'm so not sharing with Buffy. In fact let's not tell Buffy about this at all."

"I'm with her." Cordy agreed with Dawn.

"But..."

"NO! We're decided!" The two girls said together.

Xander cringed, 'I'm so whipped.'

"Let's check her out." To that the girls agreed and they went on a fifteen minute tour. It was a quick tour, but they only had so much time before they had to move the ship. Otherwise parking fines. Xander shivered. Those were never of the good.

**New York  
SHIELD Underground Base**

* * *

"Director Fury we may have an event on the horizon."

"What kinda event are we talking about agent?" Fury put down the paperwork that he was working on. Just in case this turned into something.

"We have movement on multiple fronts from organizations that work against each other, and from a few who work well together, and they're all moving on their own without contacting each other.

"Who are the players?"

"In Los Angles we have Wolfram and Hart special teams. They went from one active team to five. As a response Hydra went on alert and activated an equal number of teams. The FBI noticed an increase in activity and put their agents on alert. In Sunnydale the Sons of Wilkins are putting on a show of force, and are tightening their grip on the city. All other agents have been ejected, except those belonging to the Watchers Council." The agent cleared his throat and asked for permission to get a drink of water from the water dispenser.

Fury gave him permission and waved him to go on after he drank from the paper cup, "You've got my attention. Go on."

"Yes sir. Here's a list of the parties of interest currently deployed."

Fury took the folder and skimmed it quickly. "What sparked all this sudden activity?"

"As best as we can figure someone made a play and both slayers were involved. The next morning the body of the deputy mayor turns up dead. There was a meeting between the slayers and watchers and one of the slayers left in a hurry. She didn't look happy. Not long after the Sunnydale PD got multiple calls of a disturbance at the motel the dark haired slayer was staying at. The police did not respond until well after the incident was over. Not long after that someone reported a bike was stolen from the local chapter of the 'Hellmouth Angels'. The police did respond to that promptly. From the report we obtained a young woman fitting the description of the slayer took off with one of the bigger bikes, belonging to the chapter's leader. He and a few of his boys went after her. We checked our satellite surveillance of the area at that time period and we noticed three separate groups leaving Sunnydale in a hurry, all heading towards L.A."

"Where's the slayer now?"

"We're not sure of her current whereabouts and/or her condition."

"What else?"

"Today we started getting the reactions from all the groups on list A."

Furry looked at the list and grunted.

"Someone called the White Knight has been put into play. We haven't been able to identify this operative yet, or who he works for. Soon after the attempted heist of the police auction Wolfram and Hart began to deploy their teams. And the rest..." he passed the second folder detailing the response by Wolfram and Hart supporters and opposition.

Fury concentrated on the report for the next few minutes. The agent thought that his boss forgot all about him. He was about to leave, "Stay where you are agent Perry."

"Yes sir." Andrew Perry replied coming to attention.

"At ease."

"Sir."

Fury put down the reports, "It says here that a converted freighter worth about four million dollars, that belonged to a Wolfram and Hart client was sold for one U.S. Dollar. Is this correct?"

"Yes sir. The buyer was a young man by the name of Alexander Harris."

"Did you also notice that Harris in from Sunnydale and attends the High school where the watchers have setup shop?"

"No sir."

"What about the fact that Harris is a party of interest?"

"Yes sir, we noticed the flag on his file."

"You didn't think that there might be a link between slayers operating out of Sunnydale High school, and a party of interest who seems to me, is in the middle of this mess. Tell me agent, did you follow the instructions in the file that said, there was another file linked to Mr. Harris and to check the contents if warranted?"

"Yes sir, but Mr. Harris at the auction was a separate issue from what happened to the slayer."

"Is it now?" agent Perry squirmed, "Did you know that in some circles Mr. Harris is known as the White Knight, and since he's from Sunnydale, he might be the party mentioned by the bad guys?"

"Uh, I-I didn't know that sir."

"You would have had you followed instructions. If I wasn't already familiar with these people this entire bit of the drama would have gone unnoticed. Where? Is. Mr. Harris. Now!"

"After he registered his ship and got it insured, he put to sea and headed south towards Mexico."

"Stay on his ass and try to find that slayer of his. If you don't find her, He will. I would like to be there before he finds her. We might miss something important..." he thought about something for a second and asked, "Is he travelling alone?"

"There's footage of two other teens with him. We got those from the surveillance cameras from the auction hall."

"Get me a copy as soon as you can."

"Yes sir." Agent Perry got out as fast as he could and tried to track down a copy of the shootout at the Auction House. He knew that the geeks in Surveillance were trying to copy all the shots of the stunning burnet with that talent, that was with Harris. He hoped it was still intact.

"God that boy is just like his granddaddy." Fury sighed as he went back to working on his report to the SHIELD council.

**Pacific Ocean.  
Long Beach.  
Yacht, Dawn of Faith**

* * *

"Pool boy! Refresh my drink!" Cordelia held out her empty glass to be refilled by Xander.

"Get your own drink." He growled.

"I'm way too comfortable to move. Get me my drink or I will get up. Become uncomfortable and irritable and proceed to take my irritability on you; the cause of my moving."

"When you put it that way, how could I say no." He refreshed her drink. He was an expert at all things alcoholic. His parent saw to that facet of his education early on. They were drunks and as long as they had drink they were pleasant and easy to manipulate. Xander had learned that lesson from his grandfather early on. He may have grown up in an alcoholic environment, but he knew it could have been a lot worse. At least it wasn't abusive, embarrassing, sure, but not abusive.

"Where's Dawn?" Cordy took her drink and gave him a tiny nod in thanks for his effort. She wasn't without manners after all. Always thank the servants.

"Someone has to be at the bridge, just in case. This ship can almost pilot herself, but it would be suicidal to depend on that. 'Sides Dawn can handle it."

"I'm sure she can." She sipped her drink and licked her lips seductively.

'She's playing me. She knows I can't touch that, but she still does it. She's evil. Why do all the evil girls want to torture me? Why? With my luck something's bound to be wrong with Dawn. God I hope not." He left princess Cordelia to her sunbathing and went to help Dawn at the bridge. He preferred her company to that of her 'Petty Highness'. Still it's a beautiful ship. I might as well enjoy it while I still can.'


	6. Chapter 6

**Pacific Ocean**

North/West Mexico.  


* * *

Dawn was singing at the top of her lungs when she noticed that the blip on the screen in front of her had to be following them. She did a couple of minor course changes, and after half an hour they were still on following them.

She went to the door, opened it and, "XANDER GET OVER HERE QUICK!" She shouted at the top of her lungs.

Xander flew up the stairs and into the bridge. Something had to be up. Dawn never screamed like that if it wasn't serious, or if Buffy stole her 'Ben & Jerry', and since Buffy wasn't around he would have to go with he first option, "What going on?" He asked after he took a few seconds to catch his breath. No blood, Dawn in one piece, he took another breath to calm down.

"We have a tail..."

"And a fine tail it is..." He said giving her a lecherous grin.

Dawn blushed and turned red all over, she slapped his arm, "First: Thank you..." She kissed his cheek, "Second: It's not that kind of tail." She turned and led him the screens, she put a little extra wiggle into her hips as she walked in front of him. She snuck a look to see if he was watching.

Xander knew what she was doing and tried his best not to smile. He bit his tongue and held it in. He saw her sneaking a look back and made sure there was a appreciative look on his face.

'He's looking.' She felt giddy with happiness. 'Take that Buffy, my boobies are smaller, but in a few years he's not even gonna know who you are. He's mine!' She growled silently. "Take a look." She pointed to the display.

"I'm looking." He gave her a lecherous grin.

She turned redder if that was even possible. "No, there…" she again pointed at the blip.

Xander approached and looked over her shoulder. Dawn shivered at the contact. Xander felt her shiver and smiled.

He saw the blip and frowned. They were outside the normal shipping lanes. There shouldn't be anyone sticking that close to them. He went to the keyboard and keyed in a few commands to plot a time line for he blip.

"Good catch Dawn. We picked these guys from San Diego. They've been closing the distance in the last few hours." He looked at her asked, "could you please help Cordy with the big duffel bag?"

"You mean the one with?"

"Yeah, that's the one. I'll keep an eye on these guys."

"Kay. I'll be back in a jiff." She gave him her version if Cordy's megawatts smile before she left.

'My little girl is growing up. She's gonna brake hearts when Cordy's done with her training. Hope I can survive her testing out 'The Moves' on me.'

Dawn looked back to see if he was paying attention to her swaying hips. He was, she squealed as she bounced out the door.

'Yep! It's official. She's gonna be the death of me someday. He he he.' He went back to studying the blip. It was still keeping pace. He got a heading and looked around to see where he left the binoculars.

He found them and went to see if he couldn't pick up the ship visually. He could, but barely. They were just over the horizon. 'No rush. We have time.' He thought.

A few minutes later Cordelia came in with Dawn, "No Duffel bag?"

"It's outside. That thing is heavy. If Dawn didn't find a dolly to put it on, and if there wasn't an elevator to the top deck, you'd be dragging your shit up here. I am not your servant and neither is she." She pointed to her protégé.

Dawn shrugged. She didn't mind doing stuff for her Xander; plus she knew what he had in the duffel bag. It was the quad. If they were lucky she'd see it in action.

"Thank you, your Cordelianess. We are not worthy to be in your shadow." He snickered. It was hard to keep a straight face when she went so far over the top. She knew it, if her matching smile was anything to go by.

Xander went on deck and unzipped both bags.

From the smaller one he took out personal weapons.

"Take your pick." He told her.

Cordy looked over the selection carefully. She passed on the desert eagles and the big hand canons. Xander had taught her to properly respect firearms and to know her own limitations. She picked up a couple of 9mm automatics in heir harness. She strapped it on and went over what he had for edged weapons, there was a nice slim dagger that she liked it was cute with silver inlay. She was about to pass on the stakes and holy water, but she was a Sunnydale girl at heart. She knew better. She added a stake, a cross and two bottles of holy water for good measure.

Dawn looked her over with a critical eye and went over her selection. "Nice." She complimented her. Cordy being Cordy took it as her due, but it was nice to hear it given freely. Dawn adjusted the Barnes and weapons placement. "There..." She stepped back and looked her over one last time, "Hmm, something is just off...oh I know, wait here..." Dawn took off and headed to Cordy's room.

Cordy shrugged. She went over and watched Xander put the final touches in his equipment. She noted that he had put on body armor and carried heavier caliber weapons.

"Gimme one of the AA-12. At least I don't have to worry about recoil with that one."

Without a word Xander passed her the combat auto-shotgun. He agreed, plus with buckshot she could do a lot of damage on full auto. It was her favorite weapon after all.

Dawn bounced up the stair like she was a rabbit, on springs, "Where do you get your energy from?" She asked not really expecting an answer back.

Dawn giggled and gave her a white silk shirt, one of her own, "Here you go. It doesn't look right without that somehow..."

Cordelia put the silk shirt over her Bikini and checked her image in a mirror, "you're right. Bravo Dawn. You get fashion points for this one." She smiled at the next Queen of Sunnydale.

Dawn beamed, and giggled. That was fun; like playing dress up with a full grown Barbie, only with bigger boobs.

"So...are you going to tell me what's in your big bag?"

It was hard, Xander managed to resist the first thing that almost came out of his mouth. Dawn was standing right there after all.

"I call her Cordelia times four." Xander took out a rocket launcher. It had four tubes. It was also fully loaded.

Cordelia's lips twitched, but kept the smile from forming, 'By his standards it's a compliment I guess.'

****

Pacific Ocean

North/West Mexico.  
Hydra Chase Ship.  


* * *

"We are in range Captain."

"Thank Mr. Braun." the Captain Hans Jagger put down his binoculars and looked at his second in command, "Tell the divers that they may proceed."

"Right away sir." Lt. Braun began to issue orders into his communicator. All over the ship everyone began to get ready for combat.

Hidden turrets popped up at the front and back of the sleek combat ship. Captain Jagger gave another bored command, "Hail them."

"Yes sir."

"Dawn of Faith please respond?"

Captain Jagger's eyebrow went up, his upper lip twitched, but he did not smile. 'Please, ha ha ha ha. This droll little chase is becoming quite amusing. Who knew my crew had a sense of humor.'

"Watchu want?" Captain Jagger wasn't sure, but that sounded like the voice of a young girl

"Ah, may I speak to the captain please." The communications officer asked.

The girl snickered, then giggled. "I'm the Captain. Captain Dawn at your service. So, wasabi?"

"Wassabi?" the captain repeated.

"It's a Japanese condiment sir." Lt. Braun explained.

"I know what it is Mr. Braun, but why did she say that?"

"Are either your parents available?" the communications officer asked.

"Nope." She popped her 'P'

"Are there any adults on the ship?" he tried a different tack.

"Define adult?" she giggled again.

"Are you sure that this is the correct vessel?" Captain Jagger asked his second.

"Yes sir."

"Is there someone older than you?" the communication officer tried again.

"Sure."

"May I speak with her."

"Sure. Hold on." They heard the girl giggle as she put someone else on.

"Yeah what do you want."

"Please tell your Captain to drop anchor or you will be destroyed."

The woman on the other end snorted, "I'd like to see you try. What are you? Like pirates or something?"

The communications officer looked to the Captain, who shrugged but nodded his head with a wicked smile. "Why yes. Yes we are." The communications officer said with a smile. 'This is fun.' He thought.

"Eek, Pirates. Whatever shall I do? Do you take personal checks?" was the bored response.

"What?"

"Will you go away if I give you a personal check?" Cordelia yawned.

"She, she yawned, do we accept personal checks?"

The Captain pulled out his gun and shot the communications officer in the shoulder. "That was a warning. Another stupid question and I'll shoot your balls off. Mr. Braun, please take his place, for your sake I hope you don't ask as many stupid question as this brain dead idiot. 'Dear God in heaven. If he wasn't my sister's little boy I would have killed him on the spot.'

"Fire a warning shot across their bow." Captain Jagger was getting over his boredom and moving on to annoyance.

The gunner pointed the canon at the front of the ship and fired a shot. He was close, so close in fact he blew off the anchor.

Captain Jagger was fuming. "Did I say hit the ship or give a warning shot?" his gun was still out.

"I-I-I don't know how it happened sir. We should have missed them by at least a hundred meters. Something is not right with the targeting system.

Captain Jagger walked over and ran a quick diagnostics scan of the software. He was a fair Captain. He wouldn't kill the man after he was so lenient with the last one. "Someone is playing games. Go to manual." He frowned. 'This is turning into a farce.'

"Excuse me, but did you assholes just shoot my shiny new yacht?" Cordelia's voice shrieked over the radio.

"Yes. Yes we did. Now drop anchor." He ordered.

"How? How am I supposed to do that, you dimwit? You just blew it off. That's it. I'm getting my boyfriend."

"She's getting her boyfriend? Are these people sane?"

"Xander, blow those motherfuckers to kingdom come!" Cordelia shrieked.

"Yes your skrieshiness, at once." He put the quad on his shoulders and braced himself. He made sure that there was nothing behind him, took aim and fired. The first missile took out the turret on the bow, and the second did the same to the one in the stern.

The ship shuddered under the impacts, but held together.

"C'mon, let's get. My gut tells me that these guys are far from done."

"Sir they are getting away." he coughed from all the smoke filling the bridge.

"I can see that you fool. Do we have any weapon that can stop them without destroying the ship?"

"No, the only thing that's still available is the torpedo."

"Then we drop back and try to follow them as best we can. What about the divers?" he asked.

"Four have made it onboard. They had to abandon their underwater scooters."

"Detail a party to retrieve them. Those things are expensive and I'm not paying for them out of my pocket."

"Right away sir." Lt. Braun quickly left the smoke filled command center to make sure that the Captain's orders were followed. If not, he knew they'd take it out of his pay.


	7. Chapter 7

**  
Pacific Ocean  
North/West Mexico.  
Dawn of Faith.**

* * *

"What's wrong?" Dawn saw Xander stiffen and cock his head to the right and then to left.

"Mice in the cupboards." Xander concentrated on the noise his enhanced hearing picked up. 'Four to five intruders, at least two heading for the engines, and the rest will want to take over the bridge.'

"WE HAVE MICE? DO SOMETHING!" Cordy shrieked.

"I don't think it's that kind of mice Cordy." Dawn covered her giggle with her hand.

"You're armed to the teeth. Why are you afraid of mice?" Xander looked at the girl in the white bikini, with weapons draped all over her body. A see through white silk shirt hinted at the charms she hid underneath it.

"I can't shoot mice here." She poked him in the chest with her sharp and pointy nail.

"First of all ow, ow, ow." Xander moved back from the implement of torture, Cordelia and her deadly finger of prickliness, "Second why not?"

"Duh' it would ruin the resale value of the yacht."

"Oh. Didn't think of that. Dawn two to three are head for the bridge..."

"I'll make sure to welcome them properly. Gimme your Atchisson." She demanded.

"Why? You already have one if your own."

"Two are more intimidating than one." She gave him a Duh' look.

"You are so right of tiny 'Queen of Gunslingers'." He bowed in front if her and jumped back, before her fist connected with his head.

"Take that back you jerk. I'm so not tiny. Who do you think I am? Buffy?"

Xander escaped laughing all the way, while Dawn huffed, and puffed.

"Are you gonna blow or something?" Cordy asked.

"Maybe? C'mon let get ready. I've got an idea..." Dawn giggled manically.

Cordelia shivered in the tropical heat, "That is so not a good laugh for you, we so need to work on that, maybe a 'tee hee' combination. You look like you could pull off a 'tee hee' giggle..."

Dawn stopped listening as she planned the defense/ambush of the bridge.

Xander headed straight for the engine room. He turned off the interior light behind him. He reached the corridor that led to the engine room. He could hear two men trying to sneak in. He turned off the lights and jumped up and wedged himself to the ceiling above the doorway. '5, 4, 3, 2, 1...' The door opened and a beam from a flashlight lit up the dark corridor.

"I wonder why the light is out." Hydra no.1, said to Hydra no.2."

"Who cares? The corridor is empty. Let's get this job over with and then we can ask. I heard there were girls on this thing. I want first dibs on the one with the mouth."

"Why her?"

"Are you kidding? With a mouth like that she has got to be talented."

"What? Why?"

"If you don't understand, I'm not gonna explain it to you."

The two men cautiously entered the corridor. The way ahead was clear. Xander waited until the cleared the door and dropped silently behind them.

"What's that?"

"What's wha...?" Xander banged both heads together hard. They were wearing protective head gear. So he didn't have to worry too much about crushing their skulls.

He secured the intruders as fast as he could and headed to the bridge as fast as he could. He heard the unique sound of the AA-12 being fired in a confined space. 'Shit!' He ran as fast as he could to the bridge.

**Pacific Ocean  
North/West Mexico.  
Dawn of Faith.  
Bridge.**

* * *

"Otto will you stop pushing."

"But Rudy, the others are going to beat us to the girls."

"Peter hit him."

"Done." Peter whacked Otto with his pistol.

"Ouuuuccchhh! What did you do that for?" Otto asked peter while rubbing his head.

Peter whacked him again.

Rudy saw that and gave Peter the thumbs up. He appreciated a man with initiative. Peter shrugged, no big thing, said his body language.

"Ohhhh. What hit me?" Otto asked

"Your mouth, now shut up and soldier." Rudy threatened to idiot. 'I should have argued against this idiot being put on my team. I don't care if he's a super soldier. He's nothing but a brute. His brains were turned to much. Too bad he was a brilliant tactician, but the higher ups don't trust the rank and file and only promote from within their own personal families. At the rate they're going it'll be just a matter of time before the smarter elements splinter off the main group. Ugh. I have to stop thinking about this. I have a mission to complete. I wonder why I haven't heard anything from the ship?' he thought, "Get up and go through that door." he ordered the large man.

"Oh okay." Otto hunched his shoulders and charged through the closed door, before Rudy could stop him.

Rudy looked at Peter and sighed, "My fault. I should have told him to open the door first."

Peter agreed. These Hydra agent were idiots. He wasn't sure what SHIELD was worried about. Pretty soon they were going to kill each other at the rate they keep shooting and maiming one another.

Peter was a SHIELD agent, and at the moment he wasn't a happy camper. He was another of the Hydra near success/failures that was good enough for combat. He was a young and eager agent who excelled at everything he did. Director Fury himself had recruited him personally for this mission.

At first he rose rapidly through the Hydra ranks, bu the closer he came to a true position of influence the more intense the back stabbing became. That was how he was trapped in their super soldier program.

He was about five times stronger than most men and lost about half his original speed. It's a good thing that he was considered for the Olympic track team in the sprint, otherwise now he would be a snail. A target at best. He was a slow moving tank. He also suspected that he may have lost a big chunk of his IQ. Just like the idiot who went through the door. He was considered a genius when was accepted as a SHIELD agent, now he doubted he could pass the entrance exam. He was a regular Joe. He still enjoyed the sports pages and the political satire sections, but no more word puzzles for him.

"You're next Peter." Rudy ordered the other.

Peter looked through the smashed door before entering. He saw that it was clear and that there was a left and right intersection at the end, but no Otto. "Otto..." he called softly as he moved in.

Rudy walked behind Peter using him as a human shield.

"Otto..." Peter called again.

"Uh Yeah?" Otto replied from the right side corridor.

"Stay put." Peter told him as he and Rudy made their way to the big man.

Peter and Rudy heard, "Ooooh. Pretty lady in a Bikini. You are gonna be Otto's new girlfriend."

"In your dreams!" Slam.

Peter and Rudy looked at each other and ran to catch up with Otto before he did something stupid.

They turned the corner and saw Otto for once using what little brains he had left to open the door using the handle. "Open it!" Rudy said using his command voice.

"It's stuck."

"Break it down."

"But what if I hurt the pretty girl in the white bikini. She's gonna be my new girlfriend ya' know."

"Break it you oaf." Rudy didn't scream, but it was a close thing.

With a heavy sigh, Otto got ready to break to remove the door.

"Hold it you punks." Dawn dropped the hatch in the ceiling and lowered both Atchissons on the green clad goons. "Drop 'em."

Peter glanced back and saw two combat shotguns pointed in their direction. He dropped and covered his head.

Rudy turned and brought up his gun to fire.

Dawn let loose with both guns. The recoil from both shut guns was slight as she-she shot up the corridor. The guy trying to shoot her took a full burst of buckshot on full auto; there wasn't much of his armor left when she was done. The armor was tough, but it was like getting hit by five sledgehammer blows in a second, all over his body. The rest hit the big guy by the door. His armor was heavier, but even so the damage was nothing to laugh at. He dropped to both knees in pain.

Cordelia opened the door when Dawn stopped shooting and moved behind Otto. She put muzzle of her pistol to the back of Otto's head, just beneath the helmet, "Don't you Fucking move!" she was trembling in anger. These guys were responsible for thousands of dollars in damages to her boat. Oh how they were going to pay.

"Xander bounced off the wall from the left corridor and ran as fast as he could. He saw a man down and Cordy standing behind another. That left one man without anyone covering him. In his haste he didn't see Dawn pointing her shotguns at the man getting up.

Peter stood up just in time to see a young man in a Hawaiian shirt run inhumanly fast at him with a large heavy wrench. 'This is gonna hurt...' he thought as Xander cracked his helmet as he went by.

Xander saw the man drop as he continued his run at the large man on his knees. "Drop everything." He threatened to smash the giants skull if he didn't.

Otto was an idiot, but he wasn't that stupid. He dropped his assault rifle and dropped to the carpeted floor. "Ooof. I hurt." he moaned.

"Too. Fucking. Bad!" Cordy told him.

**Later...**

* * *

Xander helped secure the prisoner and drag them into a storage room. He went back to the engine room and collected the other two. He then stripped everyone naked to make sure they had nothing hidden and even though about doing a cavity search but stopped short of doing so.

Instead he booby trapped the room and the naked men. He put a grenade with a very sensitive dead-man switch, right beneath Peter's balls, and other even nastier traps on the other men.

He made sure that all four men knew that they were in trouble and pointed to the fake camera he put in the room with them. He then left them, naked, gagged and tied up.

"Are you done?" Cordy snapped when he came back up to the bridge.

"Nope. I still gotta see to the man currently impersonating hamburger meat."

"Oh him. Alright, but don't take all day." she warned him. She needed the pool boy to make her a few drinks to calm down.

"I don't see why I can't help." Dawn whined.

"Cause they're naked."

"But I helped take them down. I should be allowed to strip them too."

"No. Argue with me and I'm telling your mother that you were trying to strip grown men of their clothes." Cordy had a nasty side and Dawn knew it. 'She'd so do it too the bitch.' she thought.

"That's right. I'm a bitch. Live with it."

"Okay, okay. You're the big bad bitch. All hail her bitchiness, The. Bitch! I hate you." Dawn ran away to sulk in her room.

"Since when did I turn the mother?" she asked Xander.

Xander didn't answer that. He was no ones fool. That was a loaded question and he so didn't need to get fragged by his supposed allies.


	8. Chapter 8

**Pacific Ocean  
North/West Mexico.  
Dawn of Faith.**

* * *

"Your name's Otto?"

"Yes. You're pretty."

"Duh', of course I am. Now, why did you attack my ship?" Cordelia asked.

"Our ship..." Dawn said in passing.

"What she said." Xander agreed with Dawn.

"Enough already, jeez our ship. Happy now?" Cordelia asked.

"It's a pretty ship." Otto agreed.

"Then why did you shoot it you moron?" Cordy sneered.

"I didn't shoot it. It was probably Karl. He's the gunnery officer on the ship ya' know." Otto explained.

"I see. Why did Karl shoot my ship?"

Dawn and Xander sighed. Cordelia had this habit of taking things, whether they belonged to her or not. Not that she steals them; it's just that after a while it becomes too tiring to keep on correcting her.

"Did you get anything from the others?" Dawn asked Xander.

"No. They're keeping their lips shut. Not like that one. I think he's in love with Cordelia." Xander smirked.

"Then why don't we leave the interrogation to Cordelia. She's doing pretty well on her own. We're only in the way. Let's give the rest another shot." Dawn asked.

"Fine by me." Xander told her.

**  
Pacific Ocean  
Outside of San Diego Harbor.  
Dawn of Faith.**

* * *

"Did you get anything from the rest of these clowns?" Cordelia asked when they sat down for lunch.

"No. Too stubborn, and we really don't have the time to 'interrogate' them properly." Dawn told her.

"My, my, aren't you the blood thirsty one?" she asked.

Dawn shrugged, "You sit on a few interrogations, and they get boring."

"I don't remember Helen Tasker being that blood thirsty in the movie?"

"That's because you only saw a minor slice of her life in the movie. I had to live it. Brrr. That woman can be scary." Dawn shivered.

"Whatever. Anyway Otto told me that there was a hidden shipment of Hydra weapons hidden somewhere on the ship."

"Any idea where?"

"Are you kidding? The guy's a moron; he can barely tie his shoes."

"C'mon we're almost at the Harbor. We need to get an estimate on repairing the ship."

"I guess? How are we going to get after Faith like this?" Dawn asked.

"We can either drive, or take the emergency launch; it's pretty big, and ocean capable. Either way let's turn these guys over to the harbor police." Xander told the girls.

"Okay, but I'm keeping Otto." Cordelia smirked.

"Why?" Xander was caught off guard by that announcement.

"I have a feeling he might come in handy."

"A feeling, or because he worships the wooden floor you walk on?" Dawn asks.

"A little from column a, a little from column b, whatever. I'm keeping him and that's final."

"Cordy he's not a pet." Xander knew this was a losing battle, but he had to try.

"I know." She didn't need to tell them anything more. Otto might be as close to brain dead and still be mobile, but he was a hottie. A yummy hottie. She had so little to call her own these days. She even had to share the yacht. 'God the things I have to put up with.' She wasn't letting go of Otto just yet.

**Mexico.  
Tijuana.  
Next Night.**

* * *

"Place your bets." The dealer gave the players enough time to place their bets before he spun the roulette wheel. He was about to spin the wheel when a delicate hand placed a bet on black 13.

"Are you sure you wanna do that?" asked Tony Stark.

"What's the matter Tony? You're not superstitious are you?"

Tony had a slight buzz going, "Do I know you?" He asked the gorgeous brunet.

"I should hope so." She said, as she watched the wheel spin.

"Well?"

"Well what Tony it's only been four years since you came to my birthday."

"Cordelia Chase. Wow you grew up." he leered.

"Sell it some where else Tony. I ain't buying. How's uncle Howard?"

"Sick as a dog. Your parents."

"On the lam. They didn't pay their taxes for like ever and I lost everything when they took off with my trust fund."

"So. How you been?" she smiled.

"Why didn't you call? You forgot my number or something?"

"I don't take handouts from anybody Tony. Not even my cousin. I'm doing okay now. Got my corvette back couple of days ago, and I have friends that care about me. Also picked up a bodyguard yesterday." she waved at her escort; Otto, Xander and Dawn.

Tony laughed. That's my cousin. We Starks always land on our feet."

"I just wish my mother was more like your dad..." she perked up and put up a false smile. It was a smile Tony knew well. He should know he taught her that smile.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Looking for a friend. She's in trouble. Got some bad people after her."

"You need any help?"

"Nah. Got it covered." she beamed.

Tony didn't believe her, but he let her think she had him fooled.

"Winner black 13!" the dealer raked in the chips and paid out the rest to the only winner on the table.

"Fifty thousand. Not bad for your first bet of the night. You should stop."

"You can't tell me what to do Tony Stark. Let it ride." she told the guy piling the chips in front of her.

There was a hush around their table, then excited whispering about how reckless, and exciting, and yada, yadda, yadda.

Cordelia ignored them all, "Let it ride."

**Mexico.  
Tijuana**

* * *

"Let it ride she says..."

"Dawn drop it, just drop it."

"I won't..." she poked him in the bicep.

"Will you stop with the pock-y. Do you want us to crash?" The two of them were following Cordelia's corvette in the SUV.

She poked him again out of vindictiveness, "I Can't get over it. She let it ride...and won! Tell me how's that's even remotely normal. The odds are freaking staggering. Did you see Tony Stark flirting with her? Did you?"

"Yes..."

"...And did you see how his eyes bugged out when she placed that bone headed bet. I was about to rip her face off, if you hadn't stopped me. Why? Why did you stop me?" she wasn't expecting an answer.

"To keep you from getting thrown out. I don't trust her to be on her own, and Otto isn't enough. Too new, too soon."

"That's another thing. What's up with that?"

"Seriously...?"

"You can smell her interest a mile away. She knows how to hide the visual signals, but she hasn't figured out how to hide her heart beat, which in the casino, not very worrisome, or her scent. You could drown a cat in heat with the amount of pheromones she producing."

"That's her defense!" she shrieked, "She's a cat in heat? No. No. No. That will not do. I need to have a talk with that young lady..."

"That's not Dana Helen! And you're not Helen. Calm down!" Xander channeled Harry Tasker to deal with Dawn when her inner Helen took over.

"..." she looked at Xander and visibly calmed down. Like a slap to the face or a bucket of ice cold water. Brrrr!

"..." He looked at her and after he saw her take control and drive Helen back he too relaxed.

"She's a bit much. Sorry."

"I understand. If I didn't have gramps in here..." he tapped his head, "Harry would have been just a s bad."

She took a deep breath and opened the window. "Are we going to always be like this?"

"I don't think so. Some memories are fading away. Not so much gramps, not sure why, but the Arnold ones are getting a bit fuzzy. You?"

"It's a lot easier than it used to be. Helen's pretty quiet most of the time. A lot like a mouse, until she turns into a were-rat. You're right. It's getting better." She admitted.

"We're almost there. I want to see if I can't talk this guy into putting up a hidden missile turret. No missiles just the turret. You think I could convince him?"

"Money talks and bullshit walks. We now have money thanks to, to, to...that..."

"Drop it!" he was firm.

"Kay." She kissed him on his right cheek. She loved it when he was firm.

****

?

* * *

"How are you feeling Peter?"

Peter looked up and saw Director Fury's face. For the first time in years he relaxed. He thought about the question and marveled at how much easiest it was to think. "Great. It's like someone removed several sheets of gauze from my brain."

"I guess it would. The physical alterations are permanent. There's nothing we can do to change that, but the mental shit they did was insidious. Your brain was pumped full of junk to better control you. If that shit wasn't cleaned out of your system in another year or so, the damage would then be permanent. You'd be lucky to be able to tie your shoes."

"I know what you mean. I know a guy. It's not pretty, but at least we don't have to worry about him. They're really doing this to their own people, to their own blood kin?"

"Hydra's not for the rank and file, it's for the privileged few. Haven't you figured that out yet agent?"

"I guessed as much, but it slipped my mind. How did you clean me up?"

"Doctor Parker..."

A nice clean cut young scientist in a white lab coat walked over, "Good morning Director."

"Richard, I want you to meet Peter. He's the man you helped detox last night."

"Nice to meet you Peter..." he smiled, "My son's name is Peter as well."

"Thank you Dr. Parker, for all you've done."

"You're very welcome. Sorry I couldn't do anything about what they did to your body, but give me another ten years, and them come see me."

"It's a date."

"Thank you Richard. I'll talk to you later."

"Alright Nick. Later then. Nice to have met you Peter. Get well."

"I will. That's a promise." Peter smiled until he saw Fury's grim mask. 'Uh oh.'

"Peter..."

"Let me guess, you want me to go back."

"I need you to go back. You're the best placed agent I've got..."

"I understand sir. It's okay. It hasn't all been bad. I mean I never have to worry about getting sick again. Not many can push me around, and now that I have my mind back, it'll be much easier. What about the others?"

"In isolation. The harbor police gave them to us with their weapons. They were stripped naked, anything you want to tell me about that?"

Peter explained everything that happened, when he was done Fury let out a heavy sigh, "I suspected as much. The Harris kid is a super soldier isn't he?"

"I'd say so. At least three times as strong and maybe just as fast, if not more."

"Yo wanna go back just to keep an eye on him don't you?"

"Yes sir. Plus they kept Otto. Not sure why, but they kept him."

"This him?" Fury gave Peter a picture of three people standing beside a roulette table. Two men and a young teen.

"Yeah that's him, and the kids..."

"Alright. Get better and we'll insert you back in. Everyone has been in isolation, we'll hand you over to the San Diego PD and they'll let the legal system spring you loose." Fury stayed for a few minutes getting a few administrative details out of the way. Paperwork is a never ending battle against the evils of red tape, but it is a battle well worth fighting.

A/N

(Too preachy?")

Raf.


	9. Chapter 9

**Mexico.  
Tijuana.**

* * *

"Is your investigation complete Karl?"

"Yes sir." Karl snapped a salute.

"Begin!"

"The ship assigned to capture the pleasure craft 'Dawn of Faith' met successful opposition from her owners. There were three people on the yacht. The engagement took place in the northwest Mexican waters. American forces did not intervene. It is not known at this time if this was due to prior knowledge of the identities of those on board. May I play the recording of the battle?"

"You may proceed."

Karl pressed a few buttons on his uniform and started the video.

"Captain Shultz began by asking for their surrender. They refused. He thought they were foolish children and ordered a special team to attempt a mid sea capture. The team made if on to the ship without any opposition. During this time anther attempt was made again to get them to surrender. It was met with derision. The Captain ordered a warning shot fires across the yacht bow. The shot somehow hit the anchor housing instead. As you can see the damage was mostly superficial. This man with the portable missile launcher has been identified as Alexander Harris."

Karl stopped talking as the images made a stronger impression than anything he could have said.

"He disabled their surface firepower in less than a minute with utter contempt. You can see that he could have destroyed the ship with the rest of the missiles in his launcher. What contempt he shows." The Region Command Leader was impressed.

"Continue..."

"The rest of the information was obtained from the recovered assault team. Two agents sent to take control of the engine room were neutralized so efficiently that no evidence exits how it was done, but by process of elimination and from the report of super soldier Peter Walters the one responsible for their neutralization could be none other than Alexander Harris. The same person who took out the boat. Peter saw him running from the engine room; he was running at super human speeds. He then used super human levels of strength to take out Peter himself. Peter's team was taken out by two young women..." He pointed to Dawn's picture, "...this is Dawn Summers, less than six weeks shy of her thirteenth birthday. She nearly killed the team leader and stunned the other super soldier on the team, your nephew Otto..."

"I know who my nephew is Karl..."

"You did say a thorough report sir..." He was waived off. The signal to continue was un-mistaken. Karl continued, "Young Miss Summers used two combat shotguns to take down the two men. Otto's heavier armor and his much greater stamina saved him. He was however stunned for less than a minute, but that was more than enough time for..." this time Cordelia's picture was displayed next, "Miss Cordelia Stark Chase to capture Otto. The entire team was then secured in a storage room by a professional operator. Mr. Harris is again our number one suspect; he may have had help from Miss Summers. There was an interrogation, but none of the men recovered said a word. That has been verified. A few hours later four of the five men with their gear were turned over to the San Diego Harbor Police. Neither Otto, nor his equipment was not part of that exchange. The next night Otto is seen as part of Miss Chase's bodyguard/entourage along with Mr. Harris and Miss Summers. Miss Chase met up with her cousin Anthony Stark. Prior to that meeting they had contacted a boatyard to repair the damage sustained during the raid. Mr. Harris made an inquiry about other services that could be provided. The name of one of our agents was given as contact. Mr. Harris then made contact and arraigned for hidden weapon system to be added to his ship. The Agent in his haste to get unlimited access to the ship agreed to do the job and threw in one of our transport helicopters to seal the deal. It's the one disguised like a regular civilian helicopter..."

"I am well aware of the type, continue!"

"Yes sir. As a result the missile system was installed, but without any missiles. While Harris and his girls were away, a search was successfully conducted and our equipment was recovered." Karl hurriedly finished the report.

"What did you find out about Mr. Harris and his party?"

Karl was dreading this part. He took a deep breath and, "Mr. Harris is from Sunnydale, as are the girls. Intercepts of communications between Wolfram and Hart teams, describe Mr. Harris as 'The White Knight.' They were unusually reluctant to engage Mr. Harris in combat. We think that they know that Mr. Harris is a super soldier. Miss Summers is the current Slayer younger sister. Mr. Harris is known as the Slayer's White Knight..."

"...Which means that Harris is certainly either a Watcher, or a connected to the Watchers Council in some way." The Commander concluded.

"He's often seen in the company of both the slayer and her watcher." Karl confirmed.

"Our agreement with the Watchers, means he's essentially untouchable."

"Yes sir." Karl agreed with Commander Wolfgang.

"Assessment..."

"Mr. Harris knew who he was dealing with and took reasonable precautions to defend himself, his girls and property. He sent us a clear message when he only took out the weapons, and refrained from destroying the ship. He also showed a surprising amount of patience when he captured the raiding team without killing anyone. He even approached us in a most subtle manor using an agent k own to the Watchers Council. He allowed unlimited access to his ship to resolve the dispute in the most diplomatic manner possible. The only penalty that we have incurred is the loss of your nephew Otto to the Watchers."

"Recommendations..."

"We back off, and make sure our agent charges only half the quoted price. Otto seems to be in good hands, mostly likely will be in action against Wolfram and Hart. This will also be the first deniable test we can attempt against the 'Lawyers' that will not come back and bite us on the ass. I also believe that when the enemies' teams converge on Harris; Harris and his people they will most likely chew them up like Otto's team did."

**Sunnydale, C.A.  
**

* * *

"Settle down fellas. Everyone here?" Richard Wilkins III asked politely.

Everyone present nodded their heads that they were indeed here.

He clapped his hands together and then proceeded to rub his palms together. "Exciting times are coming up for out organization fellas. Exciting times indeed. Jerry how are the boys chasing Miss Lehaine doing?"

"Got her on the run boss. She's halfway through Mexico, and it doesn't look like she's planning on stopping anytime soon."

"Good job Jerry. Send the boys a good job and a thank you gram to show our support. Marlin what is the current status on the search for the serpent crown?"

"No ones come forward to claim the reward offered for the crown or if they have information about the crown. I think the serpent society branch in New Jersey might be holding back on us. Them Jersey guys were always fishy..."

Richard stopped Marlin before he started on his pet conspiracy theories about 'The Jersey Guys' they had a full agenda to get through tonight, "Thank you Marlin. Keep at it please. Graduation is not that far away ninety seven days left after all. Bruce tell me what the boys on the docks are up to? I've been hearing these ugly rumours lately. What's this about a union? Don't they know those things never work..."

The night went on in that vein for a few hours. They stopped several times for refreshments, usually coffee and pastries from Emil's place.

After the meeting, Richard went home in his Limo. As soon as the front door to his home was closed, he was met by a neatly dressed black man, "Ah Mr. Trick. There you are, so what did Miss Summers do tonight?"

"The same thing she does every night Mr. Mayor...She stakes Vampires."

"Very droll Mr. Trick. I am very current on the modern times. I have to be I'm afraid, otherwise I'd be out of touch with my constituents. All of them. So no Sass from you my good man. Clear?"

"As crystal your honour." When Richard Wilkins turned his back on the vampire, Mr. Trick rolled his eyes.

"What has been going on in my town Mr. Trick?"

"A new clan of..."

**Sunnydale, C.A.  
Library.  
**

* * *

"What do you mean you're in Mexico?" Joyce was a bit upset that her youngest had taken off with her fiancé. Truth to tell she was even more upset that her twelve years old daughter even had a fiancé. Buffy and Mr. Giles explained what, and how it happened.

She also wasn't against having Xander Harris as a Son-In-Law for her daughter, 'Buffy!' not her twelve year old. Thank god that Xander was such a nice young man. A young man who could be trusted with the safety of her little girl.

"..."

"He took you to Disney World and a boat ride. Well stop the presses we have to have the wedding right this minute..."

"..."

"You bet your underage ass I'm being sarcastic..."

"..."

"You listen to me Dawn Marie Summers..."

Buffy winced when she heard her mother use Dawn's full name, she wasn't in hot water as deep as her sister, but apparently because she was the older sister, it was her job to look after the giant butt-pain.

"A luxury yacht? Where did he get the money?"

"..."

"One dollar! He got a four to five million dollar yacht at the police auction? And no one said anything?"

"..."

"No! Have a nice day doesn't count."

"..."

"Dawn I don't care if it's a done deal..."

"The San Diego PD had no problem with it? What do they have to do with his yacht?"

"..."

"You fought off 'PIRATES! That is it! Get on the first bus right this minute..."

"I don't care if you are on a rescue mission! Faith is a grown Slayer! She can take care of herself!" Joyce was about to start screaming when, either Dawn hanged up on her, or the connection was dropped somehow.

"Xander bought a five million dollars yacht for a buck?" Buffy backed up a few steps at the scary look on Joyce's face. She held he palms up in surrender, "I-I-I was just asking!"

"Your sister is on a rescue mission to save Faith from demon/Hells Angels' biker gang and that's the first thing you ask about?" Joyce was on the knife edge of hysteria, and Buffy was about to push her over completely to the other side. Giles came up from behind her and clamped his hand over her mouth; "Think before you speak..." he whispered.

"Mr. Giles can't your watcher buddies do anything?" Joyce was grasping at straws, but she'd do anything to protect her children, and to bring Dawn back home safely and in one piece.

"Not in this case Joyce. If I contacted them the first they might do would be to order Faith execution instead of her rescue. After the Cruciamentum, (the rite of passage) the council has been quite reluctant to offer any kind of assistance. This would seal Faith' fate."

"What kind of organization do you work for?" Joyce was about to lose it. Giles could see that as the only outcome of this discussion.

"That's just it I'm afraid. I was fired because I stood by Buffy. I have very little pull with the council. Trust Xander Joyce. He will not let anything happen to Dawn. He loves her like his very own sister."

"That's not my problem Giles. Dawn doesn't see Xander as her bother. That girl of mine wants to dip him in chocolate sauce and lick him until he's clean. Those are not things sisters should be thinking about their brothers. I love Xander, and I know I can trust him, but how much pressure could he endure from my little tease. She doesn't know what she's doing to that boy, and I'm afraid she's going to either drive him over the edge, or into something else that neither of them is prepared for."

"You're selling both of them short. Xander will not falter, and Dawn has more going for her than you might think."

"You mean what she has inside her don't you. I know all about the Halloween spell and about Helen Tasker being a part of her...God I can't believe that this is even coming up in conversation. I should have never come to this hell hole." She declared.

*Wish it...*

"Why would I wish it?" Joyce asked, "Who said that?"

"DON'T!" both Buffy and Giles shouted at the same time.

"Mom whatever you do, don't wish. There are vengeance demons listening and they could seriously screw up reality."

*Ooh, so close...*

"Mr. Giles, explain!"

Giles took off his glasses and began to clean them. When he was done, he put them back on and pulled out a chair for Joyce, "It's best if you sit down."

"I'm not going to like this, am I?"

"No I-I-I don't think you will."


	10. Chapter 10

****

Sunnydale, C.A.

Joyce had booked the first flight out of Sunnydale to LA. It surprised the hell out of her when she was asked which flight she wanted? The nine, ten, twelve o'clock; or the next day starting at one, two or three in the morning.

Giles had explained it to her now that they knew about the Mayor, it made sense that he would make it easier for the nasties to travel at their convenience.

She booked the nine o'clock to LA and from there a connecting flight to Mexico City, Mexico. She'd call Dawn from there for the final destination.

Mr. Giles drove her to the airport in his beat up old Citroen. He promised that he would look after Buffy while she was away.

He even carried her bag and carry on. Buffy had helped her pack; over pack really, she didn't need a tenth of the wardrobe, but Buffy wouldn't take no for an answer. She didn't know why, but she humored her. She would be in Mexico long enough to grab Dawn, by he hair if need be, and bring her back home.

They announced her flight and bid Giles good bye. They had been intimate a few times since the band candy incident. Discreetly of course. It was nice that he cared about her and her daughters. She kissed him on the cheek at first then thought better of it. She grabbed his head and gave him a proper kiss. They announced final boarding, she reluctantly broke the kiss and took her carry on, her purse and boarded the plane to LA.

**Chetumal, Mexico.**

"She's speeding up again." Dawn complained. They were driving down Villahermosa Chetumal, down Federal Highway 186.

"What do you expect she's in a Corvette and she has an open road ahead of her."

Dawn pouted, "You so should let me drive..."

"NO!" He didn't add the 'Hell No!'

"What's Otto doing? Is he trying to get out of the car?"

"It looks that way. He looks like a trapped animal trying to chew his leg off."

"Damn. I'd better call her..."

"Don't."

"Why not Xand?"

"I want to see how he handles a little life and death situation with Cordelia in charge. If Cordy is going to trust her safety to him I want to make sure he's worth the effort."

After about an hour, Xander saw enough. Otto had settled down and hanged on for dear life. The important thing for Xander was that he found out that in a pinch he could depend on the big guy.

"Are we there yet?" Dawn was bored out her mind. She didn't think it could happen with her Xander beside her, but it happened. Not being able to move and expend her excess energy and the sugar with the sugary pop goodness so didn't help, she had to pee and she knew Cordy wouldn't stop until they reached the small town.

"Yes."

"Liar."

"Am not."

"We're so not there...and now we are. I call dibs on the first gas station."

"You'd better let Cordy know."

Dawn grumbled, but she did as she was told. If she didn't have Helen's memories about the boring parts of an Op. She would have thrown a temper tantrum by now.

Twenty minutes later they went to the hotel. Cordy had made reservations for three rooms. One of those rooms was for Joyce.

"Alright here's the plan. I pick up Joyce, Xander, Dawn and Otto will take the SUV and stake out the Antonio Handall road to the north of town. Faith should be coming down from that direction..."

"How did your cousin come up with this information again?" Xander asked.

"He's like Willow..."

"Funny, he didn't look like a petite, red headed Jewish girl?"

She slugged him on the right shoulder, "Ow."

"What she said." Xander rubbed his shoulder. He was still down playing his abilities. It was as a habit.

"Knock it off you big Baby." Cordy scolded.

"Ha ha ha! Big baby." Otto laughed at the byplay between the two.

"Yeah they're a laugh riot. Why couldn't Xander and I wait for mom? You and Otto wait for Faith."

"I'm so not roughing it. Worse I might even find Faith."

"How can that be bad?" Dawn asked.

"Xander is the only one she'd trust to have her back at this point. The girl is running scared and the last thing we need, is to lose her again. Tony's already moved on to another diversion, and Willow doesn't have his resources."

"Okay fine. When's faith supposed to show up?" Dawn asked.

"In the next couple of hours, give or take an hour if she stops to pee or gas. According the average speed and distance she was covering over a ten hour period." Cordy explained.

"Everyone get some rest. In an hour, we head out to Antonio Handall, and Cordy picks up Joyce." t threw himself on the bed in his clothes. Dawn followed him, and jumped next to him and closed her eyes.

Cordy took Otto with her the other room. " Aren't we supposed to have a boys and girls room?"

"We would if you didn't jump next to me." Wake me up in an hour." He closed his eyes.

"Who wakes me up?" she asked.

"Seriously? With the amount of sugar and caffeine in your tiny, under-developed body I expect you to combust from all that pent up energy ooofff!" Hey no fair I'm calling physical abuse..."

Dawn gave him the elbow to the ribs treatment again. "No one will believe you. Now shut up or I'm doing it again." She threatened.

"Damn it woman, can't you at least wait until we're married. I'm going to sleep. Wake me." Xander closed his eyes and went to sleep almost instantly. He trusted Dawn with his life so he had no problem surrendering to the sandman.

Dawn on the other hand was in la-la-land planning her wedding. 'He loves me!' she was to giddy to sleep. Xander was right; no way she was sleeping with all that sugar in her body.

"Cordy led Otto to her room. She went to the shower and started to strip. She looked at Otto and came to a decision, "Strip. You smell and you need to get clean. C'mon you can scrub my back." She ordered.

"Okay Cordy." His smile was a mile wide. He wasn't that slow. He knew what came next. He was going to see Cordy's boobies.

**Chetumal, Mexico.  
Airport.**

Joyce was met in the terminal by Cordelia. "How was your flight?"

"Bumpy. How's my daughter?"

"All over Xander." She waved to a boy to carry Joyce's bag.

"You left them alone?"

"Of course not. Otto's with them. You look nice."

"I freshened up before the plane landed."

"I wish Buffy would take tips from you on how to take care of herself."

"She does have that whole slayer burden to deal with Cordelia." Joyce smiled at the young woman's priorities.

"That's no excuse to skip on proper grooming. Even dawn knows better than her by now."

"Thank you for that by the way. Dawn looks up to you."

"It's my good deed for the year. I can't leave her to the tender mercies of Buffy and you are a working woman with two bottomless pits to feed."

"I really should make more time. How was she with Xander and the fiancé thing?"

"Don't worry. Xander was a perfect gentleman. I trained him well. He knows better than to take advantage, and he has that whole knight in shining armor complex going for him, so no worries on that front, but that's not an excuse for laziness. Dawn is a resourceful girl, and she has her man in sight. She won't give up. It's puppy love for now, but give her a year or two, and Xander's resistance will crumble like a melting ice cream cone in July."

"I know. I'm not worried about the now. It's the later that's giving me nightmares and sleepless nights. Where are we going?"

They exited the building and Cordelia tipped the boy a few dollars for helping with the bag. She over tipped as was her custom, but she had some serious money and she wasn't too worried. Her immediate future was secure.

When both women were in the car Joyce asked again, "Where are we going?"

"Do you want to go the hotel first?"

"No. I want to see my daughter."

"In that case we'll be going to Antonio Handall. That's the intercept point. Xander wants to catch Faith outside town just in case their trouble." She gave Joyce a map with the street marked in red.

"Hit it."

Cordelia smiled and did just that. She left at her accustomed cruising speed. Mach 4, or close to it.

When she looked at the older woman, Cordelia was surprised to see the smile on her face, 'Why couldn't she be my mom? She's way too cool for Buffy, and just about right for Dawn.' she thought.

**Chetumal, Mexico**

**Antonio Handall Avenue.  
**

"She's not gonna make it." Dawn gripped Xander bicep and held on for dear life.

"Dawn my love..." Xander gritted his teeth.

"Ye-yes Xander?" Her eyes glazed over for a second, damn hormones.

"You're cutting off my circulation. Ow, ow, ow."

"You're such a cry baby. I don't know what I see in you sometimes?" She let go of the arm.

"Much better." He smiled at her while rubbing his arm to bring back the circulation.

"Xander is a weakling." Otto sing song-ed. He was having fun. He was never allowed to have fun with Peter and Karl, or the other guys. They made fun if him instead. This was much better. He also got to have bath with Cordy. His brains froze and he started to drool again remembering what else happened in the shower.

"Eww. He's drooling again. What did Cordy do to him?"

"You want me to give the talk about the birds and the killer bees again?" Xander asked her.

"NO!" She shuddered, "Once is enough." She will never ever look at bees the same way again.

"She's about to jump the barricade. Let's give her a hand." Xander took aim with the sniper rifle and started to shoot gas tanks.

They exploded and blasted the barricade apart. Faith jumped it without a problem.

Dawn and Otto laid covering fields of fire as Xander got Faith's attention and waved her over. Faith gunned the big Harley's engine and raced for cover. Bullets and spells hit all around her, but she dodged most of them. A few still hit the bike.

Faith drove behind the SUV as her Boytoy and his limpet mine covered her. Although after this she so wasn't calling her that ever again. No one lays their ass on the line on her behalf like that and gets insulted again. 'Wonder who the big guy is?' She took the big bike and lifted it over her head and put it on the rack on top of the SUV. She strapped it down while the other guys exchanged gun fire.

"You have a gun for me?" She asked Dawn.

"You know how to use one?" Dawn answered with a question.

"I lived not the streets of Boston for two years. That answer your question?" Faith was a little bit sarcastic, because these guys were saving her ass. They were allowed to be a little snotty. Especially Lil' D.

"Here you go." Dawn threw a pair of Glocks in their holsters. Faith put the rig on and drew the weapons, and jumped to the top of the SUV as a Corvette came to a screaming halt on the left side of the parked vehicle.

Faith was about to fire into the vehicle when he saw that Mrs. S. and Queen C were the only occupants, "What the fuck!"

"Faith! Language young lady. There are young ears about." Joyce told admonished her in a no nonsense kind if voice. It was surreal. They were in a firefight with a clan of demon bikers and the woman was worried about her language. She was about to say something totally inappropriate, but thought better of it. Faith jumped off the roof. She opened her mouth, but Joyce beat her to the punch, "Could you please grab my bag and put it in the back?"

"Uh...sure...'what the fuck?' Faith did as she was told. She was exhausted and Joyce was one of he very few authority figures she listened to. She found herself obeying automatically. "What about them?" She pointed to the rest of the Sunnydale Gunslingers Gang.

Joyce put her carry on bag beside the drivers seat and buckled up. The key was still in the ignition. She turned it on and lowered the right side window, "Dawn?"

"Yes mommy?" Dawn asked in her little girl voice. She knew she was in 'BIIIIIIGGGGGGG trouble.

"Get in beside me please." Joyce asked reasonably. On the inside she was quaking. Her little girl was a fucking firefight. All the children she cared about were a few lucky shots from dying.

"Okay mommy." Dawn opened the door and got in. She still used her little girl voice. It was the wrong voice to use. She should have channeled Helen to let Joyce know that a capable adult was in charge, not a child.

In the meantime Xander had slung the sniper rifle over his shoulder and picked up the two AA-12 from the ground. He had come ready for bear. The combat shotguns were loaded with 30 rounds drum, high explosive, for max damage.

"Xander it's time to leave." Joyce yelled over the noise.

Xander looked behind him and saw that the ladies were waiting in the SUV and Cordy in her 'vette.

"In a sec' Mrs. S." Xander began to spray on full auto, with both shotguns. He shot everything in sight. Otto did the same next to him, except he used Hydra energy blaster instead. In he last few days his aim had improved and he was having an easier time concentrating. He knew that Cordy was responsible for that somehow.

"Otto go with Cordy. I'll cover you."

"Okay Xander." Otto liked Xander and Dawn. They treated him like a part of their family. He also liked the way Xander and Cordy acted. It meant that he didn't have to worry about Xander taking Cordy from him. Plus he had Dawn for a fiancé so the rule his mother taught him applied. One per man, any more and bad thing happened. His father agreed with his mother. Later in private he was taught about the mistress on the side rule, but he forgot what that was about.

He got in beside Cordy and started to fire on the bad monsters again.

"Xander get in now. We have to leave while we still can." Joyce told Xander again.

"Be right with you."

"Oh he did not say that. Men! They're all the same. Faith..." She yelled.

"Yes Joyce?"

"Grab the gun happy idiot before he gets us all killed."

Faith smiled, "Sure thing Joyce." She reached through the back door, grabbed a hold of his gun harness and pulled him off his feet and threw him into the back seat guns and all. She jumped in, on top of him.

Joyce floored the accelerator and Cordy followed her.

None of the bikers followed, because Xander had been too enthusiastic with the guns. Not a single bike was still in one piece.

They left the dirt path and got back on Antonio Handall Avenue, and tried to get away as fast as they could.

Dawn was the first one to notice the pings on the side of the road and what they meant. "We're under fire." she said calmly.

Xander looked out the window and saw two helicopters chasing them. One was a gunship.

"Faith can I please have the large duffle bag from the back seat?"

"Sure thing Xander." she was still smiling. someone cared enough about her to chase her across border and came to her rescue. Even Queen C. that had surprised the hell out of her. No matter what else. She was never leaving these guys behind again. She might die as a slayer at any moment, but knowing that Xander would be right there beside her meant that she wouldn't ever be alone.

She passed him the surprisingly heavy bag.

"Thank you." the smile was just for her and she almost melted, but she recovered fast and covered up the smile with a sexy smirk. Xander saw right through her; he let her get away with it, and she didn't care.

Her eyes bugged out when he pulled out a huge rocket launcher with four tubes. They were all loaded with missiles. "Scuse me for a sec'. I'll be right back." he leaned out of the back window. Half of his body was in, and the other half was out. "Could you pass me the launcher please?" he asked her.

"Sure. Here you go."

"Um, could you also grab hold and make sure I don't fall out?" he gave her his best smile.

"What's going on back there?" Joyce asked.

"Xander's flirting with Faith." Dawn replied.

Faith didn't correct her, he was and she was loving it.

Xander took aim on the gunship first. He saw a trail of smoke at the back and knew it was about to fire. He lined up his shot as he saw the rocket streak towards them. From the trajectory, he knew it would overshoot the SUV, but maybe not the Corvette. He fired as the rocket passed overhead towards Cordy and Otto. It barely missed when Cordy swerved into the next lane.

His missile was on the mark and blew the gunship out of the sky.

He should have shot the other helicopter he realized after he saw the strange glow. A portal had opened up in front of the SUV. Joyce tried to swerve, but she wasn't in time. Dawn screamed and the glowing portal changed from red to green. He saw Otto blow the the helicopter out of the sky as they went through. 'At least Cordy's safe.' he thought.

Joyce swerved left and right and somehow fond her way back on to a road. "Mommy lookout!" Dawn screamed.

Joyce braked hard and tried to avoid the large silly monster in the middle of the road.

"Where did all these buildings come from?" Faith asked.

A pure white light shot from a girl across the street and hit the SUV and the large silly looking demon.

The demon exploded, Joyce passed out. Dawn reached for the wheel and brought the SUV to a stop.


	11. Chapter 11

*Japanese*

**  
Tokyo, Japan.  
**

Sailor Moon didn't see where the black SUV came from, but she was already in her wind-up and didn't have time to stop. Her signature attack hit full force. The Youma exploded from the energy that hit it. She also felt a tug on the Crystal's energy; it was still feeding the attack and bathing the SUV. When it finally stopped everything was quite for a few seconds, and then a back door opened. A tall good looking guy got out, and looked around. She didn't see what he had in his hands, because he was on the other side of the SUV.

*Hey. Are you okay?* Sailor Moon asked.

Xander looked at her for a moment and said, *Yes. What was that?* he asked.

'Huh? That's a first. He's not even scared.' She could tell, she saw him throw something into the back seat and come around the other side. She got a better look, and she liked what she saw. *It's a Youma.* Sailor Moon explained, she was about to walk over, but the rest of the Sailor Scouts started to converge on her position.

The driver side door opened and a beautiful blonde woman her mother's age, maybe even younger got out. She held on to the door, a little unsteady on her feet. The young man ran to her side and caught her. She heard him say, "Joyce, you okay?"

"I'm fine Xander. What was that?" she asked.

"I think it was a demon of some kind. I think she called it a Youma." He explained. When Joyce let go the door Xander saw that her finger left an imprint in the metal door. He frowned and stood between Joyce and the blonde girl in the short skirt. Joyce reminded him of an older Buffy. She even looked about a decade younger.

Joyce looked at the door and her eyes almost bugged out. Did-did I do that?" She asked.

"Looks like." He nodded.

"Where are we?" She asked.

"This looks like Japan. The bunny tailed girl spoke Japanese. That's the radio tower in Tokyo over there, so it's a safe bet we are in Tokyo." he explained, "If anyone asks pretend it was already there." he pointed with his chin at the deformed metal door.

Joyce nodded her head in agreement, she didn't say anything. "Dawn!" she dove back into the vehicle to check on her daughter. She found her a little loopy like she was drunk or something, "What's wrong with her?" she yelled.

"The same thing that's wrong with us. You're way stronger than normal. Slayer level I'd say. I heard Giles mention that you were a potential once, just like the girls. I'm also betting that it hit Dawn harder than I hit you. Other than that you look about ten to fifteen years younger. I can see where Buffy and Dawn get it from." He smirked and wiggled his eyebrows.

Joyce smiled and asked "What about you?" she was worried about her surrogate son.

"I'm pretty good. I haven't felt this good in a long time. I feel...clean. Not stronger, just..." Xander searched for the right word, "...healthier."

"Ooh. That was gooooood. Can I please have some more?" she giggled, when saw her mommy she gave her a hug, "Wheeeeeeee! Mommmmy I love you. Xanderrrrrr! My Xanderrrrrrr! Grrrrrrr! I love you tooooo-toot-toot-to-toooo." Dawn giggled and hugged her mother harder.

"Not so hard honey." she looked at Xander and said, "looks like you're right again. That's two for two. What about Faith?"

"Can't you tell? She's snoring, not loudly, but snoring!" Xander looked around and saw four more girls in short but colorful skirts in a parody of the standard Japanese girls' school uniform. "Hey girls!" Xander gave them his best smile. "Does this happen often?" he asked waving his hands around.

"They don't speak English." The tall girl in the green skirt answered.

*Oops sorry. Does this happen often?* he asked again in flawless Japanese. 'Thank you Harry Tasker and gramps for the language lessons.

*Yes, every week it seems. Where did you guys come from? One minute you weren't there and the next you were.* the girl in the red skirt asked.

Sailor Mars slaps Sailor Moon on the back of her head.

Sailor Moon began to wail, like a baby.

"Who the fuck is crying? Shut the fuck up. I'm trying to sleep. Ooh. I've got such a headache. Xander ya got any...huh? Where are we and why is she crying like that?" Faith looked at the girls who were about Dawn's age.

"That's Rei, she's the girl in the red skirt, She gave the girl in the red boots and red bow a slap, more like a love tap really, and she just broke down."

" Isn't she the chick who shot us with that energy beam?"

"Yes she is why?"

"She chased my inner slayer out of my body. Then this white light replaced the missing energy, but I got dragged for a ride into the next slayer called. Some girl that looks like a younger version of me. She was hanging from this giant crane with a scum bucket chasing her with an AK 47. The next thing I know I'm waking up."

"You died? Are you sure?"

"No I didn't die. At least I don't think. Whatever the cry baby did she chased the slayer away, but the changes were already done, just like Buffy. I do feel stronger, like when Buffy died, but then I got way better. What the fuck did she do?"

"Sailor Moon's Moon Healing Escalation never harmed a human before. Are you sure?"

"Well she is a Vampire Slayer, and a champion of the powers of light." Xander explained.

"Is it supposed to make people drunk?" asked Joyce.

"Drunk? What are you talking about?"

"Whatever she did has made my daughter loopy. She's drunk as a skunk."

"Maybe you shouldn't give her any alcohol."

"What's your name young lady?"

"I'm Sailor Jupiter." Makoto Kino said proudly.

"Sailor Jupiter my daughter didn't get drunk in the twelve seconds it took to cross over from where we were to where we are now. Please don't insult me and my family by trying to paint my twelve year old daughter as a drunk. This is a direct result from whatever she did." She pointed at Sailor Moon who was in a shouting match with Rei."

Sailor Jupiter backed away from the crazy woman. Makoto jumped to the nearest roof top and the other Sailor Scouts followed her, even the cry baby.

"Ooh. I think I'm going to throw up. I'm not used to this light, float-y feeling. I want my slayer back. This shit feels like crap. Fuck it." Faith punched a steel pole that shattered from the blow. "Whoa. I've never been that strong before." She looked at her fist and then doubled over and threw up on the street.

"Joyce we better hightail it. I don't want to answer too many questions from the Tokyo PD. Questions like what are you doing with a multi warhead rocket launcher, in down Tokyo. I doubt they would believe that a demon did it."

"I think you're right. Help Faith back into the SUV. It's time we were out of here too."

"Kay." Xander helped Faith back into the black vehicle and strapped her in. He buckled up as Joyce drove away from the combat zone.

**Tokyo, Japan.**

"You seem to know your way around Xander." Joyce asked quietly while she drove. Dawn was sacked out in the back of the SUB with Faith. Both girls were leaning against each other, asleep. Which explained why Joyce was whispering.

"Harry was stationed here for a few years, and he picked up the language easily. Like he does everything else with total commitment. That man can be scary."

"I saw the film Xander. We own the tape in fact. After Dawn woke up with a few Helen's nightmares I made sure I was familiar with every scene in that movie."

"Somehow Mrs. S. that doesn't surprise me." Xander smiled at the woman sitting next to him.

"You can call me Joyce Xander. Somehow I think you're going to wind up as part of my family."

Xander stayed silent. He reflected on Joyce's words, 'She's right. I love both Buffy and Dawn, but I don't think Buffy will ever change her heart. She sees me as one of the girls and there's no changing her mind now. Cordelia? I hope she's alright, I'm not too worried. Otto will make sure she makes it okay. That leaves me and Dawn, and that is so not happening at the very least until she's no longer 'Jail bait' no way no how. I don't care if we're in an iron clad Hellmouth sponsored engagement. And then there's Faith!' He was lost in thought when Joyce cleared her throat.

"Xander?"

"I'm okay Joyce." Xander put on his mask and smiled at the beautiful woman driving the SUV.

"I know you're okay honey." she gave him her best mother smile.

His mask cracked and he returned her smile with one of his own. This time from the heart.

'Oh thank god. I thought I lost him. I need to keep him occupied.' She touched his face gently, "Thank you for all that you have already done for my family Xander." The affectionate smile stayed on her face, "And thank you for all that you're about to do." She leaned in and kissed his cheek.

Xander was stunned by this open display of affection. 'She-she loves me. Like my own mother. When did this happen?' he wondered.

"you know this place. Where do we go from here?" she asked.

"A bank."

"Why there?"

"Money is power. We have it, we will use it. Identities should be out top priority. We need money to get the best, otherwise we're vulnerable to anyone who can get society behind him. Without an identity, we're nothing. No one will back our play."

"Do it." Joyce had to protect her children, and no matter how capable they all were, they were still her children.

****

Washington, D.C.

One Week Later.

"Please have a seat Mrs. Tasker." Spenser Tilby was pouring on the charm. Helen was someone who would be a great addition to Omega Sector. She was also one of three people who could influence and guide Harry Tasker. His best agent. Spenser had recruited Harry when back in the late seventies, when he was known as Alan Schaefer. Spenser had set up a mercenary team for extraction missions that could never be traced back to Omega Sector. Spenser had been Dutch's commander during the Vietnam War, and he was impressed by the young man. They had been working together in one capacity or another for over two decades.

"How's Dana doing?"

"Not too good. She's still having nightmares, but she absolutely refuses to tell us what they're about. I asked her if she was afraid of the terrorists but all I got out of her was hysterical laughter. She said those wusses are the least of her worries."

"We have some of the best psychiatrist on staff. They are at your disposal day or night. all you have to do is ask." Helen smiled at the gruff man. He was Dana's godfather and she knew he would do anything for her family.

"Thank you Spenser. Let's hold off on that for now. I want her to come to us..."

Gib snorted and covered it up with a lame coff excuse. "You have anything constructive to add Albert?" Spenser's soft demeanor didn't fool Gib for a second. Any time the old man used his first name like that, was the time to be on his guard like the four horseman of the Apocalypse were after him, or Harry with that last slice of pizza on stakeout.

"No. No. Nothing to add sir. Dust..." Gib twirled his hand around to indicate the dusty office.

"Funny. We spend millions of dollars on making sure the air is scrubbed cleaner than an operating room. Yet you still seem to catch the only dust particle in the entire building. How do you manage that?"

"Just lucky I guess." Gib hopped the old grouch would just get off his case before he scared Helen off.

"Hmm. Helen, we are here for you. You know that right?"

"We do Spenser." she took Harry hand and held it tenderly.

"I'm glad. Now to business. This next mission is right up your alley Harry."

"How so Spence?"

"Four days ago, someone in Tokyo Japan used some of your old codes and contacts..."

"That's impossible. We were still mopping up the rest of Aziz's men in the Keys..."

"Fer Christ sakes Harry, settle down. Our man thought that was quite irregular since the person that used those codes looked nothing like you..."

"Do you have pictures?"

"Yes. Faisal could you please..."

"Oh-oh, yes sir..." Faisal sat down at a terminal and opened the file. Xander's picture popped up on the screen.

"XANDER!" Both Taskers shouted the name together.

"How do you know this security risk Harry?" he didn't add how Helen knew the young the young punk, because Harry's report would be thorough.

"You know that time we were in Amsterdam?" Harry asked Gibs.

"Yeah. Oh, you mean the time you took a header into the dip and came up talking nonsense. Hey that's right. You said your name was Xander...Nah. That's crazy talk Harry. He looks nothing like you..."

"Was Dawn with him?" Helen asked.

"Who?" Gibs and Spenser asked together.

"She's the little girl that was with Xander when it happened."

"What in the Sam Hill are the two of you talking about?"

"We didn't know how it's possible, but where Xander and Dawn come from...Magic...is real, and so are the monster. Vampires and Demons run rampant where they lived..." Harry spent the next hour telling the story of what happened that Halloween. Helen pitched in with a tidbit here and there. When Harry was done, the three other men in the soundproofed office were giving him funny looks. "It's true. I swear. Right honey?"

"It is. I was there too. And that's Xander Harris on the screen...and now Dana's having nightmares about monster...Oh. My. God. Harry you know what this means?"

"Yes. Dana's a Slayer. That means Xander had a Slayer with him when he crossed over somehow. I wonder if the girl's dead or not?"

"Harry...You-you can't be serious. Why the very idea of it, is-is ridiculous. There's no way..."

"I have proof."

"What proof?" Helen was the first to ask.

"Hyena."

"Oh." she sat back in the chair. "My poor girl." she sobbed quietly.

"What proof do o you have Harry?" Spenser asked.

"This..." Harry smashed his hand through the plaster and brick wall."

"I've known about you abnormal strength for quite sometime Harry, but what does that have to do with anything?"

Helen's eyes bugged as she figured out what Harry tried to do, "I-I think they need to see more Harry."

"More? But I put my fist through the wall..."

"Not the first time you've done that sweetie. Just show them..."

Harry sighed. He looked around the office and didn't see anything that would convince them, His eyes narrowed when he saw the bulge in Gibs pants.

Gibs looked down and tried to see if there was a stain on his pants. He didn't see anything, "Quit it Harry. There's nothing on my pants."

"Not on...in..."

Gibs came up with the wrong conclusion and covered up his crotch. "No. You don't need what I got Harry. Use your own."

"I left mine at home. I didn't think I'd need it..."

"Wait, wait, wait. How the hell do you leave your equipment at home. I never leave the house without mine..."

"Harry, what's he babbling about?"

"I'm not sure, but play along." he whispered back, "C'mon. You don't need it now, and I can use it."

"No. Fucking. Way! You leave my junk alone Harry." Gibs grabbed his family jewels possessively.

"Eww. Gibs that's just disgusting." Helen's face said that Gibs was never going to be invited into her home again.

"That's not what I want you idiot..."

"Then what the hell are you looking at my crotch for? Huh harry. Can you tell me that? Huh?"

"I just want to use your gun." Harry was getting fed up. Anyone but Gibs, there would be blood on the floor by now.

"You don't want my gun Harry. I know you've got that insanity plea going, but please don't kill me with my own gun." Gibs begged.

"Take out the clip. I just need the Gun..."

"Gentlemen...And I'm using the word loosely here, but that is enough...Gibs give Harry your gun. Harry this had better be good." Spenser fumed. He was not in the same happy mood when this meeting started. In fact he was feeling like exiling his best team to the Antarctic Circle at the moment.

"Okay. Right away sir." Gibs fumbled with his gun, and with removing the clip.

"Don't forget the one in the chamber..." Harry added helpfully.

"Oops. Forgot about that one. Thanks buddy."

"You keep one in the chamber, even in this office?" Spenser Tilby asked, the steel back in his voice.

"I'm Harry's longest living partner sir." Gibs replied as he passed Harry the empty gun.

"Point taken." Spenser said, 'As Harry's partner the poor sap needs every advantage to stay alive.', "Well get on with it Harry. We're waiting..."

"Watch." Harry hit the wall hard with the butt of the gun. The plaster flew and the cement underneath cracked. "Solid."

Spenser waived him to get on with it. He was growing impatient.

"HHHuuuuuuggggghhhhhhh!" Harry bent the metal pistol in half and passed it back to Spenser.

Spenser tugged at the gun, but it was a solid lump of metal. He passed the gun to Gibs. Who tried to untwist it, but with no obvious success. "Are you telling me that this..." he pointed at Xander's profile, "...young punk can do the same?"

"Yes, and if I kept his knowledge and skills, chances are he kept mine." Harry surmised.

"Great God walking on the Potomac. We have a super spy loose in Japan."

"It might be worse than that." Harry said quietly.

"How much worse can it be?" Spenser asked not liking what Harry was about to say.

"They have a Slayer with them. She might be dead, but they may have also revived her. Not the first time Xander fucked around with fate."

"What's a Slayer Harry?" asked Spenser dreading where this conversation was leading.

"You know about all those Vampires and Demons that live in Xander's town?"

"Yeah..." answered Gibs.

"The Slayer is their bogeyman, or Boogeygirl. She hunts them down and...Slays them."

"You think Dana, our Dana, is one of these girls?"

"It makes sense. Dawn was Buffy's sister, and Buffy was the Slayer..." began Helen.

"...and when Buffy died to pass on the Slayer spirit, Xander revived her and brought her back using CPR. Another Slayer was called while she was dead for the couple of minutes she drowned. Something like that may have happened. How many identities were bought?" Harry asked.

"Four. Your friend, one for a grown woman, one for a little girl and one for a young lady the same age as your young friend."

"The Summers family?" guessed Helen.

"Most likely. Joyce would be the woman, Dawn the girl and the young lady would have to be Buffy Summers. The Vampire Slayer." Harry agreed.

"Harry, you and your team, are going to Tokyo on the next military transport. Get ready."

"I think we should bring Dana." Helen added.

"Why?" Spenser asked. An op was no place for a fourteen year old girl.

"If she's the Slayer. Then Buffy is the only one who could help her." Helen had the same kind of steel-y look as her husband.

"Go. Get her and Go." Spenser conceded. If Dana wasn't his goddaughter, no way would she be joining her parents. No way no how.


	12. Chapter 12

****

Tokyo, Japan.

Tokyo Hilton.  


* * *

"This is the life Lil 'D. I could get used to this." Faith and Dawn were enjoying a bubble bath in the giant sized hot tub. Faith looked at Dawn and said, "I wonder what a bubble bath in there would be like?" and that was it. Both girls were beyond prune-y at this point.

Faith drank straight from the champagne bottle and Dawn from her juice pop concoction. "Pull me out before I drown." Faith closed her eyes and took a nap.

"What? No!" Dawn lunged at the sleeping slayer before she went under. "You-you stupid bitch!" Dawn was upset. Faith just about ruined her best day ever. She forced herself out of the hot tub and made sure that at least half of Faith's body was out of the hot bubbly water.

Dawn looked around and found what she needed. She grabbed four huge fluffy white towels and laid two of them on the bathroom floor. She put the other two around her shoulders.

She grabbed Faith under her arms and lifted. "Huh. I guess she's a lot lighter than I thought. That or I got stronger. Nah..." she put Faith on the towels and stripped her naked. She then used the towels to dry her out. When she was happy with the results she picked up a much lighter Faith and put her across her shoulders. She took her to the bedroom and dumped her, with the towels on the bed.

She took the top one for herself, and used the other one to complete dry the older girl. When both she and Faith were dry, "She's like a sleeping doll. Let's see what mom got me for make up." she clapped her hands and ran to the dresser she shared with her mother and Faith. "Ooh there's so many to choose from. I guess I'll just have to use them all." She put everything in the case the makeup came in, and raced back to bed.

"She needs clothes. I don't want to look at that smiling at me all night." she raced back to the dresser and got underwear for both her and Faith.

She got dressed first. Under things and Jammies. On Faith she put panties first and then a nighty, she wouldn't need a bra. She was already asleep.

She pulled up the makeup case next to her and went to work. A couple of hours later she was done. She put everything back into the case and left it beside the bed, and went to sleep next to the Slayer. She felt exhausted and quickly fell asleep.

****

Tokyo, Japan.

Downtown Tokyo.  


* * *

"Xander was looking for a place to get out of the streets for a while. He and Joyce were checking out the last ten sighting of the Sailor Scouts. As the only magical operators in the area, they were the groups' best option to make it out of this dimension and back home.

He craned his neck and started to check out the second and third story levels. The ground level stores didn't have what they needed. His scan stopped at an out of place sigh.

Joyce became aware immediately when Xander stopped moving. She saw where his eyes were focused on, "A Tango Club?" Joyce asked.

"A Tango Club. We stand out too much on the street. Everyone starring at the beautiful and classy blonde woman. Tell me Joyce, just between the two of us..." Xander moved in close and whispered next to her ear, "Do you Tango?"

Joyce was suddenly aware of the clean sent of a powerful male. Something deep within her loins stirred, his breathing into her ear didn't help any. A delightful tingle ran from the top of her head to the bottom of her toes, 'Wooooo-Nelly. Whoever winds up with this man, will be one lucky Lady.' a sudden thought struck her. 'I have got to get Buffy to stop using bleach. Her brains are leaking out of her ears. Who the hell prefers a dead cold moving body over this?' she took a deep breath and his scent hit her hard, Joyce however, was a full grown woman tested by life, she was the one in control and not her body. She knew that if Xander waited, then most likely Dawn would get her wish, and become Mrs. Xander Harris. She gathered her wits and replied, "Xander dear..." she whispered back, sending a tingle down Xander's body, 'Dear god it takes so little to wind him up. If only...Damn conscious...' she blew gently into his ear as she continued, "...I am a woman of many talents." her eyes twinkled.

"Of that Joyce I have no doubt." he whispered right back, blowing in her ear tit-for-tat.

"What do you have in mind Casanova?" she asked seductively.

"I'm thinking a little dance, get down tonight..." he did his Groucho Marx imitation.

"That's terrible..."

"Are you sayin' you don't want to get down tonight?"

"No, that was a really bad Groucho. You should be ashamed of yourself." she giggled.

"I'm confused...You're upset about the imitation and not about the over the top flirtation with my best friend's mother...weird. Oh well, c'mon." He gave her his hand in invitation. She accepted and he led her up to the dance club.

Joyce laughed and followed him up the stairs to the third floor. When they entered through the door, they were met by a hostess. She took the price of admission from Xander.

"Would milady, honor me with the first dance?" he asked.

"Milady would..." she laughed at his outrageous accent.

Xander held her right hand up and pulled her closer with the other hand. The music was slow at first and Xander closed his eyes and channeled his inner Harry. He opened them and stared deeply into Joyce's deep blue eyes until there was nothing else in his universe.

Joyce gasped, as she felt him connect with her very soul. He led her though the first few agonizingly slow steps. He was both strong and masterful, then the beat picked up and he started to twirl, and dip her in the most sensual dance she'd ever been a part of, her entire life. He may as well have made love to her on the floor. It was that intimate and sensual, 'I so have to get Buffy a psychiatrist. She's ignoring this...for that...'

The other dancers stepped back and gave them room. They recognized that a master was among them, and his partner did justice to the seduction he was carrying out on the dance floor.

For fifteen minutes, no one else dared join them. They dominated the floor with their high octane energy, and their slow seductive full body caresses.

Then another pair joined them on the floor. Joyce was the first one to notice. Xander was still lost in the movement. A movement and dance that came closest to imitating another sexual act, that's usually preformed in bed or other places if you were feeling adventurous. Joyce thanked God that she was divorced; otherwise she would have been committing adultery in her mind.

"May I cut in?" asked a large man as he tapped Xander's shoulder.

"Not now Harry?" Xander replied automatically. It took him a few seconds until that statement brought him out of his fugue state.

"Harry...?" Xander turned around stunned at seeing a man he knew better than he almost knew himself.

"Hi Xander. Joyce." Helen waved her hand and smiled at the pair.

"Hi Helen." Joyce didn't miss a beat. The way her life had been going lately this wasn't all that out of the realm of possibility.

"May I cut in?" Harry asked again.

Xander looked at Joyce and said, "It's your choice really..."

"Sure. I would love a dance Harry." Joyce smiled and accepted Harry's hand.

"Well?" asked Helen her eyes pointing at the dance floor.

Xander dropped to his knees and asked, "Doh'. Helen may I have the pleasure of dancing with one of the most beautiful women on the planet?"

"Did he just propose to your wife?" Joyce laughed, and Harry shrugged.

"I don't share." and that was that.

Xander and Helen joined Harry and Joyce in a intricate dance that now had four people involved. Partners changed often and at one time Harry wound up with Xander. Harry insisted on leading and Xander being the easy going guy that he was let him, but it only lasted for ten seconds of mechanical steps at arms length.

Everyone laughed and clapped until the entire club got into the spirit of the moment. Harry and Xander rejoined the laughing ladies. They were both smiling. They found a table and Xander pulled a chair for Helen and Harry did the same for Joyce.

"Wanna tell me why my Dana got turned into a Slayer?" Harry began.

"Is Buffy okay?" asked Helen.

"She was fine and in Sunnydale the last time I saw her." Joyce reassured the other woman.

"Oh thank God. I thought something happened to her. I was so worried."

"It wasn't Buffy. Faith the Slayer travelling with us got hit by this bean of pure, almost holy energy, and it was so intense that it left a few changes in all of us." Xander explained.

"What kind of changes?" Harry asked.

"The Slayer spirit ran away with the spoon, to-to Dana apparently, and Faith's energy was replaced by this other source, and Joyce and Dawn got their Potential energized to Slayer levels, without the possession. I'm not sure, but I think the Slayer Jumped into Joyce first, and fled again when it saw that it was still under attack by the beam. I'm not sure what the deal is, with Dawn, but something happened..."

"Is this like the Hyena thing?" Harry guessed.

"It has to be Harry. My Hyena almost took over, but something in Dawn drowned hers almost completely and mine was weakened enough, that I wasn't totally overwhelmed."

"Then, it's just the four of you?" Helen asked.

Xander looked at her for a second and grinned, "It was the guy I used to get the ID's from wasn't it Harry?"

"It was. You not only used current codes, but codes that haven't been activated yet. How far into the future do you get?" Harry asked.

"Hmm, I think maybe October 31, 1997. It's the only thing that makes sense. Dawn kept an awful amount of skills. Skills that Helen didn't have by the time that you guys had that dance at the Whitehouse a year after the deal in the Keys." Xander guessed again.

"The Keys were about a week ago Xander." Helen explained.

"Oh. How's Dana?" he asked.

"Having a problem with the nightmares." Helen told him.

"Xander eyed the two agents closely, "She's with you..." Harry's eyes narrowed, "...only thing that makes sense. You guys probably got my picture from the guy I used, and Spense flashed it on the screen when he brought you and Dutch in for a brief and debrief session..." Harry's eyes narrowed some more. Xander continued. "You're in luck..." he pulled a picture out of his wallet, and passed it to Harry.

Harry looked at it and Helen gasped when he passed it to her, "That's Dana! Harry, that's our daughter..."

"No that's Faith, and as Harry already noticed, she's a few years older..." Xander corrected Helen's misassumption.

Helen looked back at the picture and this time she saw the differences. This was a Dana, if she'd been through hell and back. This was a girl who'd survived on the Hellmouth for a while. 'Oh God! My Dana's gonna be just like her...' she thought.

"She's not gonna wind up like Faith." Xander had read Helen's reaction when she looked closer at the picture. First of all, no Vampires in your universe, or demons for that matter, Youma on the other hand..."

"How did you find us so fast?" Joyce asked.

Harry looked at Xander. Xander smiled and inclined his head in acceptance. "Harry did what we did. He asked himself, what would Xander do if he wants to go back home again? The rest of the world Harry's aware of has no answers for us. These girls are a new thing, aren't they Harry?" Xander asked, "I mean I could only go back about six month not much more; information becomes real scarce before that, Hell I couldn't even find a peep."

"They're a new thing. Omega Sector is looking into every Data base in Japan. Nothing. There's more spies in Tokyo looking into these girls than there's any where else on the planet." Harry replied.

"I was afraid of that." Xander sighed.

"Why?" both Joyce and Helen asked.

"It means that we have a long way to go before we can go home. This world was bland, before that...Now that the girls and their opponents are on the scene it means things will get a hell of a lot worse before they get better. Any idea where the Guy in the 'Tux and Mask' might be? There hasn't been a word about him in the press for a while. I hope the government isn't responsible for his disappearance."

"What a terrible thing to say Xander..." Helen looked from Xander's gaze to her husbands' eyes and saw that Harry agreed with Xander, "What?"

"He's right. Those girls are powerful, and getting more so every encounter, more capabilities and equipment keeps showing up in their repertoire, that means they have backing." Harry explained.

"Yeah pretty much what I guessed. Buffy has the Watchers, these guys..." Xander began, but Harry continued.

"...Have someone or something unseen in the background providing support, very advanced support. They use a communications network no one has been able to break into. One of the girls was seen using a very small but powerful laptop in battle with some kind of radio frequency communications capability. Other weapons, they could have one or two people making them, but a communications network speaks of a more in depth organization."

"You still didn't answer my question Harry. How did you find us, after you did what Xander did. We pounded the streets, not the dance club." Joyce asked again.

"It's a Tango Dance club, in the middle of all this madness, with a view from three different windows, on two different sides of the building, that's located on a corner. I may as well have mailed him an invitation, but in my defense, I didn't know this was Harry's world. Someones having a good laugh at this joke." Xander explained.

"More of those powers..."

"No, more like someone who appreciates a joke, Janus, or someone like him. I very much doubt that the powers have a sense of humor." Xander added.

"Are you saying we're insignificant playthings to these powers..." Joyce was aghast at how helpless they were.

"I doubt that, that's the case now." Harry told her.

"I think it's worse. I've probably pissed off the powers. The shit..."

"Xander!" the two mothers said together.

"Sorry. My bad." Harry rolled his eyes. Xander smirked unrepentant. "The things..." Xander looked at Helen and Joyce and they nodded. That was acceptable. Harry laughed.

'Unbelievable.' he thought.

"The things I've read in Giles' books, paint the powers as balance fanatics. I don't know what might be running around this universe, but my gut tells me that something is. It's also telling me that they're just waking up."

"I thought it might be something like that." Harry sighed, 'Not good. These assholes are going to pull me and my family into this. I can just feel it.' Harry thought. He saw Xander looking at him and he figured the other man guessed the same thing he just realized. He probably also figured that he and his girls are in the same boat.

"Oh this is so not of the good. Joyce I'm sorry for dragging you and Dawn into this..."

"Stop right there Xander. No ones dragging me anywhere. I came down to join you in Mexico. I also knew that you were going to do something, and there would be danger when Cordelia brought me over. I'm not a helpless victim waiting for the Knight to come around and save her. I'll be saving myself...with a little help from my friends." Joyce declared.

"Amen sister." Helen agreed with her, and gave her her support.

Xander looked at Harry.

"Don't look at me. She's your future Mother-In-Law." Harry put up his hands and backed up a bit in his chair.

"Wuss...What? How much do you know?" Xander asked.

"You ready to reciprocate?" Harry asked. After all part of the mission was to find out how much of Omega Sector's secret Xander knew. And a look ahead at the future, at least by five years was one hell of an advantage.


	13. Chapter 13

**Downtown, Tokyo.  
Tokyo, Japan.**

* * *

"What did you find about the girls?" Harry asked Xander, while Helen quizzed Joyce.

"They've been active less than six month. There are five of them, so far. They're named after planets. The five inner planets so far. what do you bet there are at least four more named after the four outer planets?"

"I don't do sucker bets." Harry smiled.

Xander smiled right back. The smiles matched, "Smart man. I've also noticed that there's a shadow of a small animal around, a cat or a spider monkey, or maybe even a raccoon. Are there even raccoons in Japan? Anyway I can't be too sure..."

"Ya sure, someone must have a raccoon as an exotic pet. Why is all this in anyway significant?"

"C'mon Harry, work with me here. We're in Japan, You've got Magical Girls in short skirts, a cute magical animal of some kind is a must." Xander explained.

"You're crazy. This is real life. Not some animated cartoon show..."

"Harry, Harry, Harry. Where's your sense of adventure?"

"It's been locked up in the maximum security wing, by my common sense and sense of realism, as seen by most of the sane population."

"That's so overrated. Reality I mean, common sense...okay I'll grant you that one."

"How gracious of you?"

"Sarcasm ill suits you Harry, now me on the other hand. I can so pull sarcasm. Even Helen's better than you are..."

" But Xander, I learned from you..."

"Don't give me that malarkey Harry. Even with my master level of sarcasm in your soul, you still come off too heavy handed. Hell I'll even bet you ten bucks that says Gibs just spilled his coffee on Faisal, agreeing with me." Xander reached across and removed the wire and ear peace. "Hey Gibs. You there?"

All he got in return was silence. Xander looked at Harry. That's not like him to be this silent. Gibs, Hundred bucks if you say something."

"Something." Gibs voice said over the ear bud.

"Cheap. Cheap I say. I'm not giving you the hundred bucks until you come and get it yourself."

****

Tokyo, Japan.

Parked Black Van

* * *

Faisal was busy cleaning up the surveillance equipment while Gibs changed his shirt. "I can't believe you get a hundred bucks and I get stuck cleaning up your mess."

"Just lucky I guess. Mind the place while I go collect. I want to meet this guy. He played me better than Harry. At least with Harry I usually see it coming...this guy was straight out of left field." Gibs closed the side panel as he left the Van.

Faisal grumbled for about a minute and then stopped. 'What's the use? No one is here to see it, or even care.'

Gibs made his way across the street and walked straight to the elevator. No stairs for him. The elevator stopped at the third floor and the door dinged open. He took out his automatic and put it in his pocket. He kept his hand inside his pocket and walked into the club.

First person he recognized after the hostess let him in was Helen talking to this major league, hot blonde babe. He continued scanning the rest of the room after shaking his head in an effort to take eyes of Joyce. While he was doing that he saw that Harry and the guy Xander; were looking straight at him. They both had the same smirk on their faces. 'So that's where Harry got it from.' He thought about walking over to the blonde and introducing himself, but a hundred bucks was a hundred bucks, and the blonde with Helen wasn't going anywhere.

He used the 'I'm just a goof smile' he made sure it was on his face properly as he walked up to the men. 'Hi guys. What's up?" he held his hand out.

"Here…" Xander took out a stack of folded one hundred dollar bills and gave him the top one, "…fair's fair. How come you got smile number two on?" Xander asked.

"Harry. You told him about the smile list…"

"I didn't have to tell him anything. He was me, just as I was him." He turned to Xander and said, "I still think you came out ahead."

"So don't think so. You got the strength, stamina, speed, senses and regeneration. All I got was this major attitude and some skills. Gramps had a lot of those skills too…"

"Hey don't sell the 'Tude' short. It's got us out of a lot of tough spots." Gibs defended Harry against the kid.

"True, but it was also responsible for putting you through a lot of those tough spots to begin with."

"Yeah that's true. He's got you there Harry. Not for nothing but you are a lousy partner…" Gibs saw the look on Harry's face, "…and I'm going to stop talking now."

"Knock it off Dutch. You know he'll put his life on the line for you, stop scarring him. You so know he's family. Let the poor sap know that's he's family already. He's not gonna stab you, or your family in the back." Xander chided Harry. Harry knew it deep down, but he never let his guard down, not even with Helen, until now.

"You're right. Gibs I'm sorry. You free for this Christmas. Helen and Dana would love to have you over…" Xander nudged him with his elbow. It wasn't gentle. Harry didn't do gentle. You had to hit him over the head with a nuke to get the point across, "…and I would love to have your over too."

"Stop it Harry. All this emotion is gonna make me cry." he then brightened up quickly, "Of course I'm coming buddy. 'Sides Helen already invited me and I said 'Yes.' it was nice of you to ask though." Gibs gave Harry a one armed hug.

Harry looked at the arm, and then at Gibs. "What?" Gibs looked at his arm around Harry's shoulder, "You're right, too much, too soon." he slowly withdrew the arm, while it was still attached. This was still Harry after all.

Harry nodded his head in agreement, but he gave Gibs a smile instead of a scowl.

"Yes." Gibs gave Xander two thumbs up. Xander laughed at the pretend goof. You didn't live as long as Gibs had, as Harry's partner and be as big of a fool as Gibs wanted people to think. It was a lot like Xander's I'm just a luck go luck goof mask.

"Where were we?" Xander asked Harry.

"The girls." Harry prompted.

"The girls." Xander agreed, "The powers that were displayed in the papers and from what I saw so far are based off the elements. Except for Sailor Moon, who's the leader? Maybe. It's all too confusing to tell. The other girls argued with her and she wasn't an authority figure to them. Her attacks are the boomerang tiara for normal stuff, and she has the equivalent of a tac-nuke in her staff. A Holy tac-nuke. You wouldn't believe the shit she did when we got in the way of the blast."

"Like what?"

"For starters Harry, she cleaned all traces of the Hellmouth out of my system. I've never been this clean in my life. I'm also betting she cleaned up a lot of the genetic damage the super soldier mist I was dosed with left behind. For a while there I thought I would turn into the monster from the black lagoon every night for a month. I didn't get a power boost, I got something much better. I got a health boost."

"What about the rest?"

"Faith that's our Slayer got the slayer scarred off of her. Which worries me a bit? If the Slayer is the PTB's big champion of light she should have gotten a boost, and she did, but only at the end of the blast. The holy energy replaced whatever's the power behind the slayer. Now you tell me Dana's the slayer. Makes sense, it went to the safest choice. Like I said before I think it may have gone into Dawn and Joyce, but they were in the blast radius, so it couldn't stay, so…"

"…so Dana."

"Yeppers."

"You think your girl can help?"

"At first yeah, but we need to make the introductions carefully. 'Cause the Slayers will probably fight to see who's the alpha bitch, and no matter how tough our Dana might be, Faith is a whole lot tougher. Trust me."

Harry did. Xander's ability to accurately see to the heart of any situation would be invaluable in this line of work, too bad it wasn't one of the skills that stuck. He nodded his head in acknowledgment, and Xander continued.

"It goes without saying that both Joyce and Dawn are jumping off the walls with all the extra light energy and power. The Slayer must have activated the Potential Gene, and the Holy light energized them. That's us in a nutshell. So you can see when I say that, she's their walking tac-nuke in a girly girl pocket. No one would have a clue until she zapped them. What a first strike that girl is."

"I believe you."

"You do?" Gibs asked Harry, "Because that's the second craziest thing I've ever heard."

"What's the first asked Xander, "Oh. Wait you told him about the thing in the jungle?"

"You know about the thing too?"

"What about the 'we were the same person' you don't understand Gibs?" Xander asked back.

"Oops I keep forgetting that little detail. Hey Maybe the girls are like that thing…you know, like not from around here."

"I thought about that, but too much us in their make-up, unless they're pulling a Clark Kent."

"Raised among us, but not of us?" Harry guessed. He did have the same access to the walking encyclopedia knowledge that was Xander Harris.

"Yeah that. I'd agree, except for the fact that my gut tells me they're some kind of human. Enhanced maybe, but still essentially human. I saw how fast and strong they have to be to jump from street level to the rooftops. All of them."

"Alright, that was one of our concerns. I'll let Spenser know he shouldn't worry about a space invasion just yet."

"Don't rule it out Harry. Just because they're human, it don't mean they don't have access to things from out there. Just sayin' is all."

"Alright. I'll word it carefully."

"And as for the rest of the girls. Mars is elemental fire. As basic as that gets. Plasma shooting bow. Probably something else. Red's her color, for fire I'm guessing."

"That makes sense. Color coded powers. Neat. Makes it easier to identify who's who." Gibs commented.

"If they have an army and they need to be symbols of hope, yes; then I would agree, but if they're on their own as it has been documented so far, not so much. They give away too much information to the enemy. Take Mercury for example Color's blue. That girl is one walking contradiction. Maybe she needs to be, I don't know yet. Mercury's the closest and hottest planet, yet she's using water and ice, a water elemental. If we were to colonize Mercury in some way I'd want her along. Create ice, cool down the heat, and provide water. Physically weakest, but still far above the human norm. She's the one with the highest tech, the laptop's hers. I'd say she's their Intel girl. Like Willow."

Harry got the reference. It was their Willow after all.

"Then there's Sailor Venus, color orange. She controls the light elements. Right there that tells me just how highly advanced their tech and understanding of the mystical and scientific universe.

Harry got the reference and he had to agree. "They're not restricted to one or the other. They use both magic and science."

"Haven't you heard Harry? If the science is advanced enough, it may as well be magic. I think that's what we're probably dealing with here."

"I hope not. We're nowhere near anything that even comes close to understanding yet alone copying what they have and can do.

"Last but not least we have Sailor Jupiter. Why the color green? She uses lightning. We're missing something. Lightning should be connected to air, but the color's throwing me off. We may not have all the information about the girl. She's also the strongest and most physical combatant they have. Sailor Mars has some martial arts training, but Sailor Jupiter is much better. Venus' no slouch as well. Mercury avoids physical confrontations. She hides in fog and uses long distance attacks only. Sailor Moon…Why Moon? The others are representing planets. She's not Earth, and there's no Sailor Earth. Again with the contradictions. She also has the luck of the gods. No one that clumsy can survive without it. It's like she's the main character and the writer wants to keep her around until the end, where she either wins, or dies, maybe even both."

"Anything else?"

"Lots Harry, but I'll wait until I know more. I'm not worried about the girls nor am I hunting the girls."

"What are you after then?" asked Gibs.

"Their enemies."

"Why?" Harry asked confused.

"That's easy Harry. At least four documented big bads, with a leader in the background, an even bigger bad. They never stick around when their schemes fail and they openly use a teleportation method very similar to a private portal. I want their transportation method. The ability to rip holes in space/time, can be adapted to rip holes to get back home, or to send messages back. Cordelia saw what happened and Otto brought down the other helicopter that attacked us. She's tell Giles and when they can they'll look for us."

"Or at least Willow will." Harry guessed.

"Or at least Willow will." Xander agreed.

**  
Tokyo, Hilton  
Swimming Pool  
**

* * *

A few minutes ago Faith had woken up. Refreshed, looking like crap, but refreshed. She then spent a few minutes trying to kill Dawn after one look in the mirror. Surprisingly that didn't go so well. Lil' D was a lot faster than she used to be. Much like a squirrel jacked up on an energy drink twice its size. When it became obvious that she wasn't going to catch the little speed fiend, she called a truce. She'll get her when her guard was down. Dawn agreed and as a peace offering promised to give her a back rub.

Faith liked that idea. Back rub now, revenge later. Together the girls went to the pool to enjoy a swim after the rubdown. Faith needed to spend some of that slayer energy, and a swim was as nice a way as any to use it on. Dawn was still hopped up on whatever she was on, and a swim should help slow the girl down.

"They were swimming for about ten minutes when another girl walked in. Neither Dawn or Faith looked at her. Faith swam across the length of the pool and jumped out. Right in front of the girl that came in. A lot of water came out of the pool with Faith when she jumped up, and a lot of it landed on the girl.

Dana sputtered as she cleaned the water out of her eyes, "WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM BITCH?"

Dawn froze. She was seeing and hearing double. She ran and jumped between the two girls before Faith killed the new girl. "Time out!" She held the two girls apart. It wasn't easy since both girls were using slayer level strength. "It was an accident. We're so sorry."

Dana still wasn't happy and something deep down wanted to smack the other girl.

"I was until she called me a... bitch. I guess if she wants to see the bitch side of me. I'm more than happy to show her."

Dawn looked from one girl to the other, then back again. "Faith do you have a younger sister you didn't tell us about?"

"What the heck are you talking about...?" Faith looked at the other girl and saw a younger reflection starring back, "Huh..."

Dana on the other hand wasn't looking. She was too angry with the other bitch-y girl. She swung a fist past Dawn and connected with Faith. It launched Faith a few feet over, and into the heated pool.

"Uh-oh." Dawn zipped out of the way. "I tried." She shrugged her shoulders, "What kind of flowers do you want for your funeral?"

"What? You want a piece of me too?" Dana was still feeling a tad irritable.

"You're not very bright are you?" Dawn asked sadly shaking her head.


	14. Chapter 14

**Tokyo, Japan.**

Parked Black Van  


* * *

"Harry I've got trouble with a capital T down here." Faisal's voice was really loud. Harry was still having problems with the enhanced senses.

"What is it?"

"I've got one of the uniformed Charlie Tangos hovering above the street. Take a grander; you can't miss him."

Harry and Xander did that. Xander had no problem with his senses. His body had enough time to adapt properly over the years.

"Will you look at that. My ticket back home just showed up. Christmas is a mite early this year."

"Maybe? You still have to catch the critter." Both men were joined by Gibs and soon after the women as well.

"What's going on?" Joyce asked Xander.

"Our ticket back home." He pointed at the hovering man.

Everyone saw what happened next. The float-y man pointed at a mailbox and fired a dark beam of energy at it.

The mailbox transformed into a parody of a large female humanoid. The float-y man spoke with the newly created creature and in less than ten seconds Mr. Float-y was out of here.

"Shit. Murphy woke up early. C'mon let bag and tag the mail girl." Xander didn't like the smirk on Harry's face at all. "Not one word."

Harry didn't say anything but he continued to smirk. "Let's go to work."

"And do what exactly?" Gibs asked. "I'm not sure if you know this Harry' but we are spies. As in people don't see us doing shit."

"He's right, Joyce you could you please get the presents?"

"Sure. I'll be right back." Joyce smiled at everyone as she left to check in with the hostess.

"What I wanna know is why the silly, but dangerous girl animates?" Xander asked no one.

"Maybe the guy really likes girls."

"I don't think so Gibs." Xander took one o the wrapped present boxes from Joyce and took out the two AA-12. He passed one to Harry, "Thirty explosives in he drum."

"HOLY SHIT! Is that what I think it is?" Gibs was in Awe. He'd seen the specs for these babies.

"Yeah. They'll be out in a few years." Xander showed Harry how to load the drum.

"What about me?" Gibs asked with wide eyes. He was looking at the other box like it was Christmas.

"Joyce, you can give him the other box."

"What's in this one. A Laser Rifle? Please tell me it's a Laser rifle?" Gibs begged.

"No Laser rifle for you."

Joyce opened the box and the second most beautiful sight her ever saw greeted his eyes. Seeing Claudia Schiffer naked backstage was still number one; a .50 caliber sniper rifle with laser and telescopic sight was an, oh so close second. "ThankyouThankyouThankyouThan kyouThankyou..."

Xander pulled out Otto's blaster pistol and pointed it at Gibs crotch, "Stop, or..."

Gibs jumped back and used his hands to cover Mr. Happy and the boys. "I'm cool." He was still smiling, "That's a Laser pistol!" he drooled.

"Nope. This here is an energy blaster. Waaayyyyy cooler it has unlimited payload, but only sixteen shots, before the energy pack needs to recharge itself. That takes about a day. Cover me. Xander opened the window and waited until the Daemon Mailer Youma passed beneath the window.

"No! Don't!" Gibs tried to save the young fool with the cool toys, but Harry stopped him. "Harry?"

"Look..." Harry pointed out the window. He saw Xander nail Daemon Mailer with both feet, and bounce off. The Daemon Mailer hit a solid cast iron lamp pole with minimal damage. It shrugged of the hit and looked around to see who dared attack it.

"That's not good." Gibs observed, "Do we shoot yet?"

"Not yet..." Harry adjusted the minimal settings on the portable auto canon masquerading as a shotgun.

"Wanna trade?" Gibs wiggled both eyebrows.

"No."

"Jezz Harry you always hog the cool hardware." Gibs grumbled and went to another window to get setup.

On the street Daemon Mailer saw the interesting male that attacked her, "Bow before me, and become a willing servant of Queen Beryl, and I'll spare you." It demanded. She could detect his dark potential. He didn't have any dark energy but the potential for it was there. She also found him quite handsome.

"How do I put this..." Xander pretended to think the offer over, "...no." he let loose with a spray of explosive shells on full auto. The Daemon Mailer was blasted apart.

Everyone looked at the destruction, "Too easy..." said Gibs.

Daemon Mailer started to reform.

"GIBS SHUTUP!" everyone shouted.

"Okay I admit. I deserved that one. How do we kill it?" he asked changing the subject and the focus of their hostility.  
Xander tossed the AA-12 to the third floor and Harry caught it in one hand. He passed it to Joyce. She put it away. She didn't know how to use it yet.

Gibs glanced once at the AA-12, he shrugged. He didn't want to refocus back on him. Maybe later.

"What's he doing Harry?" Helen asked.

"He's going to charge the bad demon girl honey." Harry explained. It was what's he would do, and Xander's tactics were the same as his by now.

"Do you think that's safe?" Helen asked distracting him again. He wished it was Gibs so he could safely tell him to shut up. Instead he controlled his tongue if he ever wanted to sleep in the same bed as her anytime soon.

"Helen?"

"Yes Joyce?"

"Can I have a word please?"

"Now? There's a demon fighting Xander down there. Don't you care?" Helen had a soft spot for Xander. The thought of having him and Harry at the same time sent delicious shivers down her spine. She didn't think it would ever happen, but a girl can dream.

"Yes not." Joyce was firm and the remnants of Dawn obeyed instantly.

"What is it?"

"Are you trying to get Xander killed?" Joyce was using the stern mother face.

"What? God no!"

"Then stop distracting the boys from doing their jobs. Harry can't say no to you and Don't get me started on Gibs. Behave young lady!"

"Yes mom. Hey! You're not the mom of me." Helen started to get angry.

"No I'm not. But that's my boy down there. Don't you dare put his life in danger just so you can get your thrills. Behave!" the threat if she didn't was unspoken, but oh so there.

Helen backed off. She knew what a slayer could do, and if Joyce had the same power level she didn't want to cross the woman. She knew that her spanking could be vicious. She even saw the threat in her eyes. "I'll be good." Helen was proud of herself. She didn't whimper.

Sailor Venus and Sailor Jupiter had arrived on the top of the roof and saw the destruction on the street below. They also saw what the young stud from the other week holding his own against the Youma.

"On the street below, Xander had charged the Daemon Mailer and got inside her guard. He kicked her in the chest and bounced of the solid metal construction, He was able to move her several feet back. He rolled back to his feet and faced her.

"You will regret this rash decision. I shall steel your energy to better serve the queen. He dodged the first shot, but the second hit in the chest, "Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha..., ..., ..., ...Why is this not working. Where did you hide your energy? TELL ME!" she shrieked.

"Maybe your beam thing-y is on the fritz. Do you need to go back to the shop to repair it? I'll wait for you right here. Promise. He gave her the single finger salute."

"What kind of salute is that?" Daemon Mailer was curious.

"This is the I'm telling you the truth salute." He lied without smirking, smiling or any other expression. It was killing him. On the third floor he could hear Gibs laughing.

"Does this salute..." she copied the salute perfectly, "force you to stay here?" she asked.

"Nope. See, still telling the truth."

"I see. Then what would hold you when I'm gone?" she asked.

"My honest face. Honestly."

"I want to believe you, and I do like your face..." above Sailor Venus looked at Sailor Jupiter and said, "Mine. I saw him first."

"I talked to him last week. You didn't."

"You didn't claim him then. Therefore I call dibs. Mine!" her eyes narrowed ready to throw down with her team mate in the name of Love and Justice, and in her very inner being, Horniness.

"Fine. I admit. I should have laid claim, but I didn't think he was worth it then, but obviously he's made of much sterner stuff than the average man. I don't think I could have moved her that far if I kicked her myself." Jupiter admitted.

"So it's decided. Mine!"

"Yours." She conceded.

"Is it me or are these Youma getting stupider and stupider?"

"It may have something to do with the guy. He may have other powers beside the strength, speed and stamina." Jupiter replied. She had calculated the forces necessary to move that much mass that far and it would take someone like her to do the same thing.

"As they watched Xander talk to the Youma they decided that now would be the best time to ambush the silly thing while it was busy and confused.

"Wait here. I will be back. I need more instructions."

"Where are you going?" Xander didn't think it would answer, but hey, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

"My Lord is tracking down a huge beacon of dark energy from over there..." she pointed towards the Tokyo Hilton, "I'll be right back." She jumped to the roof top and ran smack dab right into Sailors Venus and Jupiter.

"Crescent Beam!" Xander had followed the Daemon Mailer on to the roof and was in time to see Sailor Venus signature attack. The beam of energy hit the Youma in the chest and burned a hole in her. Xander saw that the hole didn't regenerate.

'Hmm, energy attacks. I can do that.' He ran from the edge of the roof as Sailor Jupiter fired off a lightning bolt. The Youma dodged into Xander's path. He jumped over the Youma and fired three shots into her head. The shots obliterated the head and the Youma dissipated right after that. Xander could have sworn that there was a look of sadness and betrayal on her face before she dissolved..

"Wow. That is some kind of Laser pistol. Say do you have a girlfriend? Do you want one? My name's Minako? What's yours?"

Xander was saved from answering any of these questions by the arrival of Harry and Joyce who had jumped up to the roof from the third floor window. "Harry we have to get to the Hilton. The Youma was going there to join her boss. She may be after Dana?"

"No, not my Dana." A look of rage appeared on Harry's face as he ran towards the edge of the roof and easily jumped across.

"Wow. What a hunk. Mine." Makoto told Minako.

"Yours." She agreed. She had her eyes on the younger and much more handsome young man; they both recognized the blonde woman from last week as she passed them by and jumped after their men. "After them, they're getting away." Minako yelled and followed behind Joyce. Makoto followed her lead.

Gibs and Helen burst onto the roof as Jupiter sailed over the street below to the other side. "Does everyone have these crazy super powers?" Gibs asked Helen.

Helen looked down to the street four floors below, "No way I need to find out that badly. Faisal bring the Van to the front." She ran back to the elevator with Gibs behind her.

"I'll be right there when you hit the street. Move it."

"We're on our way." She replied as the elevator closed behind her and Gibs.


	15. Chapter 15

****

Tokyo, Japan.  
Tokyo Hilton.  


* * *

Xander finished the protection ward on his hotel room. He had taken the time to ward against things getting in and against getting out.

Xander had picked up a lot of knowledge since the super soldier upgrade. A lot of the information from research had stuck after that. It was around that time that the gang was researching wards and dis-invitation spells. Most of that lore came in handy now. It also required a lot of power; for that he used his own blood to power the wards. He had enough magic for a spark to ignite the wards and bind them to his will.

Magic considered Xander as a magical creature. Born and raised on the Hellmouth. Several possessions and alterations later and he was now a magical creature. And magical blood was very potent. It was no wonder that his wards of protection were quite potent as well; Alexander protector of man. The shoe seemed to fit. He wasn't like Willow. He couldn't float a pencil or light a candle to save his life. The first and last time he tried his magic was completely used up in the simple spells. I also left him unconscious and drained until he woke up the next day. He was an Occultist of moderate skill. He could summon from a prepared scroll or spell book, and he could do ritual magic. He used his blood to power the spells and never tried to do anything more ambitious. Experience taught him to avoid that like the plague, unless there was an Apocalypse and no other choice.

"Are you sure that stuff will work?" Gibs asked as he brought up the large fake gift boxes.

"Watch..." Xander provided the magic spark and ignited the wards. They flared with green energy that even Gibs could see.

"Whoa!" Gibs dropped the boxes as he jumped back. He wasn't expecting this. After seeing the shit with the Sailor Scouts and the Youma things he didn't freak, but 'God Damn!' Gibs turned to Harry and asked, "Could you do that too Harry?"

"No." Harry raised his head and pointed it at the slowly dimming green light.

"Oh sure, Harry, Gibs please come in." Xander grinned. An invitation wasn't needed. These weren't those kinda wards. They blocked energy, scrutiny and teleportation from entering or exiting the suite.

Harry frowned but didn't say anything. He was suspicious by nature and something a out this setup didn't feel right. He opened the door and went in anyway.

Xander followed with Gibs scrambling to pick up the boxes and entering quickly not wanting to be left behind.

"Ooh prezzies. What did ya get me?" Faith asked as Gibs put the boxes on a large table.

"Nuh uh. These aren't for youuu..." Gibs was pushed aside as Faith opened the top box, "Niiiicceeee. You shouldn't have stud, but I'm glad you did."

"Hey! First of all were you raised in a barn; and second you're too young to play with-with..." Gibs noticed Dana coming with Helen from the bedroom, he looked back at Faith and noticed that this woman was a fully stacked woman and what Dana would probably look like when she grew up. 'Oh boy. Harry you're going to be in for such a headache when Dana grows up. That or jail for killing her boyfriends.'

"Did you just call me a barnyard animal?" Faith dripped with menace as she pointed the AA-12 at his head.

"Faith! Don't be rude dear. We don't point weapons at guests."

"Okay Joyce. Sorry." she put the weapon back in the box. She had time to play with it later, "Dead-man walking..." she whispered to Gibs as she walked by.

"Oh shit." Gibs shivered as he whispered back.

"Ya got that right." she plopped herself on a white leather couch and watched Gibs like a cat watching a canary in a cage.

Xander shook his head and Harry smiled. He saw how Gibs was eying Faith in her swimsuit at the pool earlier and he wasn't unhappy with Faith putting the fear of someone who looked like her into his partners psyche. He didn't want to kill Gibs after all. It was too much effort to train a replacement. Faisal was mostly being trained by Gibs. He only had to step in to fix the obvious crap.

"You done?" Faith asked Xander.

"Yeah. It's done. At least I don't have to worry about Zoiburg popping out. Where's done Dawn?" he asked Joyce.

"She's talking with Sharkira. I think she likes her, now that you changed her allegiance with that sword." Joyce shivered.

"Don't diss the sword Joyce. It's come in handy. To bad I had to feed it Surfina, but hey a kill had to be made to make the bonding stick. This way the energy used to change and feed Sharkira wasn't coming from a live person. Besides we need someone from their organization on our side if we're to understand where these people are coming from, how they think and what's their prime motivation for doing what they're doing. That and the Sailors were about to toast her ass if I didn't turn her. It was also a demonstration of intent to convince Zoisite that he's dealing with serious pros."

"Prostitutes?" Gibs asked hopefully. Xander looked at Harry, who walked over and slapped the man on the back of his head. "Sorry Harry."

Harry shrugged. It was par for the course with Gibs. He only slapped him because Joyce, Helen and Dana were around. He didn't think Faith minded.

Faith was laughing her ass off.

Dawn came in with a blue and silver haired girl with pale skin that had a slight blue tint. She could pass for a human on the outside, but Xander doubted the changes carried to the inside.

"Who's this?" Helen asked.

"Sharkira say hi to everybody." Dawn prompted the shark girl.

"Hi everybody." Sharkira waived.

"I didn't know they could change?" Faith said after she stopped laughing.

"Oh sure. They weren't allowed to do it because it took too much energy. Energy they are supposed to be collecting to bring the Uber Bad back to life or something. I'm not exactly sure." Dawn explained.

"Welcome to the family Mackie." Xander told her with a smile.

Sharkira's insides melted when her master smiled at her like that. This was a much better deal than the one with the Dark Kingdom.

"Mackie?" Dana looked at her dad.

Xander shrugged, "Better than Mako..." he looked at Harry, "How's Zoinks doing?"

"Fuming, you better deal with him soon."

"Soon..." Xander smiled at Harry.

Harry knew what the smile meant. It wasn't nice. Dana was puzzled with the cryptic remarks between her Dad and the other dimensional alt. He had that bad boy vibe she liked, but he was also too much daddy. She so didn't need to go there. The harem forming around him wasn't something she was interested in. All harem-y and no sex, what kind of harem was that?

"Ooh, ooh, are you going to do the one where you scare him to death?"

"I don't think so Gibs, too much effort. I'm thinking something else."

"What? Like the thing with the thing you did with the girl?"

"Similar, but not quite..." Xander was lost in thought.

"What's he thinking of Harry?" Gibs mock whispered.

"Chaos and confusion."

"That settles that. I'm confused. I guess that means its working."

Harry looked at his smiling partner and felt sorry for him, so he threw him a bone.

"He's going to do a pull and switch." Harry left Gibs to ponder that one and went to talk with Helen and Joyce. Those two had their heads together and were plotting. Plotting mothers in his experience; not a good thing.

****

Tokyo, Japan.

Hikawa Shrine.  


* * *

Rei finished putting the final touches on the table. The snacks were ready. The reading material was laid out tastefully and everything was in its place.

"They're here." Phobos the black raven told her.

As usual Usagi was the first to arrive. She wanted to be the first one to get at the food.

Ami followed behind at a more sedate pace.

"HiRieIamsogladyouinvitedmeov erohlookthefoodisallsetyouar esuchathoughtfulhostnowmovea sideiamstarving.

"Wha..." Rei's temper came to a boil as the hunger that must not be encouraged descended on the food.

"What's going down?" Minako asked Ami as she walked up behind her.

"The same." Ami pointed at the battle for snacks part XX VIII.

"Again? Do they not get tired of all this flirting?"

"You mean fighting?" Ami corrected Minako, 'Mina-chan has such a problem with these idioms. I really must try and help her with that.'

'My Goddess, but she's such an innocent. Cute, but oh so innocent. If there was some way I can get her alone. He he he.' from there Minako's thoughts quickly went from an R rating to NC-17, X, XX, XXX, and so on. (I'm not about to go beyond XXX. That way lays madness and insanity.)

Usagi had ripped into the food like a buzz-saw, or Taz the cute Tasmanian cartoon that Ami liked to watch.

The last to arrive again as usual was Makoto with the moon cats bringing up the rear. Luna likes to make sure that no one followed the girls. Operational security had to be maintained above all else.

"What's wrong now?" Makoto asked.

"The usual, as you can see Usagi popped Rei's cherry and Rei's molesting Usagi." Minako explained. She helped Makoto out by taking one of the delicious cakes that Makoto liked to bake. Makoto's baked goods were the best. The cook wasn't so bad herself either.

"What?" Makoto was flabbergasted. She didn't think the girls were that far into each other yet.

"What she means is: Usagi ate Rei's cherries, and Rei's grappling with Usagi trying to stop her from deploying he scorched earth policy she has against food."

"I'm not sure if that explanation is any better Ami." Makoto kept looking. It was like seeing an accident as you passed by. You couldn't help yourself. You had to look.

"GIRLS! That is quite enough. We have a meeting to conduct." Luna broke up the cat fight by scratching both girls when they ignored her.

"WAAAAAGGHHHHHHH!" Usagi devolved into a crying baby and Rei took the opportunity to bop her one last time.

"Luna Rei's being mean to me again!"

"Then stop antagonizing her. Now everyone sit down. We have a serious problem on our hands. Another group of super powered beings has joined the fight. I don't trust them. They could be working with the enemy to trap us."

"But Luna. They helped us when they didn't have to, and they could have killed us all, but they didn't. Dawn the younger girl even put her life on the line to save me. When I was hit by one the surf spears I fell and lost my henshin stick. She zipped around the Youma grabbed the stick before it hit the ground and then pulled me out of the way. She then used the henshin to shoot the Youma with a beam of ice. I didn't know you could do that. That's when her fiancé Xander jumped down and impaled Surfina and destroyed her with Zoisite's black sword. She then helped me up and returned my henshin. She said it was cool and wanted to know where she could get something like that, but we were separated by the other Youma. As you can see from her actions Dawn and her fiancé were both good and honorable. They would make excellent allies." Ami concluded.

"No. She must be eliminated. She may have resisted the call to power now, but in the future they may side with our enemies. Your next mission Sailors is to eliminate this Dawn person." Luna demanded.

BBBBBOOOOOOMMMMMMBBBBBB!

"WHAT THE FUCK IS THE MATTER WITH YOU!"

"Sailor Pluto!" Luna jumped back.

"Are you out of your mind you mangy, flee bitten pile of diseased cat flesh. If you even think of threatening my Patron Lady I will scatter your molecules all over the Galaxy. Do you understand me?" Sailor Pluto was huffing in anger by the time she was done threatening the black moon cat.

"No way. Another Sailor scout." cried Usagi.

"She looks kinda old." observed Minako.

Pluto bopped her on the head as she went up to Usagi, "It's good to see you again Princess."

"HUH!" everyone face-faulted, even the cats.


	16. Chapter 16

****

Tokyo, Japan.

Hikawa Shrine.

* * *

"Oh yeah. She does look like the princess. I remember now." Venus grabbed a torn bag of mostly full chips and began the munch on the salty goodness. She plopped on a seat waited for the rest to catch up. "So how you been Pu-chan?"

Zap!

"Don't call me that you boyfriend stealing hussy."

"You still sore about that? It was like a life time ago. Get over it." Venus looked into the bag of chips and found a big one, 'Ooh.' she fished it out and munched while the Sailors recovered.

"I'm a princess?" Usagi shouted.

"Yes. I think so. You do look a lot like Serenity. That must be it yes. You are the princess. Well now the search is over, we can move on. We have to stop those men at the hotel..."

"I think the women out numbered the men Luna. I think there were five women and three men. I think only two of the men had powers. Lady Dawn's fiancé and the sisters' father."

Pluto zapped Luna. "Did that help?" Pluto asked full of concern for the cat with the bristling fur.

"What did you do that for?" Usagi asked, while Luna twitched.

"I hear electro-shock therapy is a good for the insane. I do hope that helped, but if it didn't I willing to do it again and again until it does." Pluto was firm in her resolve to help the poor 'Puddy Cat'.

"Electro-shock therapy is a form of aversion therapy Sailor Pluto. How does that help Luna feel better?"

Pluto shrugged, "It made me feel better. I'm also hoping it will her her from jumping to conclusions. Unless you try to assassinate the American Agents and quite possibly start another war, you will not win an open confrontation. As a group they're specifically trained to remove humanoid level of resistance. With their powers and training it would be a Pyrrhic victory. You'd kill them, but you would suffer at least eighty percent casualties in most encounters. Should my Lady and her family get involved you would suffer one hundred percent casualties."

"How is that possible?" Makoto was proud of her power. She couldn't see how anyone not even these super powered humans had a chance against the Sailor Scouts.

"That's easy dear. I would kill you all to prevent you from destroying the cornerstone that the Silver Millennium was built on. You could always be reborn. If my Lady withholds her favour, then there will never be another Silver Millennium in the future."

"You can't be sure that could happen..."

"No she could. That's her job after all. She's the Guardian of the Gates." Artemis told Makoto.

"The Gates of what?"

"Time and Space. She must have seen what happened, and came to warn us and stop us from following Luna's plan to kill the Lady Dawn."

"Well no. They only succeeded once in all the time lines. That was when the Dark Kingdom attempted to recover Zoisite and you attacked when they were busy. The rest of the timelines showed your death and destruction."

"Then we should stay back and let the Dark Kingdom and the strangers kill each other..."

Zzzaaaaapp!

"Did you have to cackle like while you were electrocuting her." Artemis sniffed at the smoking, twitching form.

"Yes I did. I really, really did. Looks like the cat is coming with me. Really believe that she was damaged during her time in the stasis pod. I'll have to take her and put her in a medical pod until she's fully recovered."

"How-how long will that take?"

"From your perspective a few minutes at best..." Pluto floated the cat behind her and disappeared.

**Tokyo, Japan.  
Tokyo Hilton.  
**

* * *

"That it?" Harry asked Xander and Dawn as they handed their mission reports up to January of 1999.

"Whew, that's a lot of missions and you're saying I did a good job? Do I also get a raise?" Gibs asked Xander while Dawn took the opportunity to run away from 'Shop Talk' while Gibs was pumping Xander for personal information. After a week of typing up reports she was ready to bolt. She, Dana and Faith were leaving in a few minutes to have some fun. It was supposed to be adult free outing. Two slayers and a Dawn, with Faith as the adult in charge. Dawn cackled silently; of the three of them as the youngest girl, she was the most mature one of the bunch.

"Yeah that's it." Xander looked at Gibs and put on his sad face, "sorry man, but with the new tight budgets there's no raise for a long time. They'll just keep giving you meaningless promotions so you won't leave." Xander winked at Harry to let him know that he was pulling Gibs' chain.

"That's too bad Gibs." Harry patted Gibs on the back, "I do get a raise right?"

"No sorry you too are out of luck, but with Helen joining you guys you'll be able to make ends meet." Xander winked at Harry again.

Dawn left Xander to his fun and joined the girls. She knew that both agents would be getting raises and promotions soon, but Xander liked to play his little games.

She opened the door and was faced with a giant Japanese man. He would have fit in with the Sumo Wrestling circuit perfectly if he he only added another hundred pounds.

"I am inspector Jiro. Is this Harry Tasker's suite?"

"No it's not. It my family's suite. Harry and his family are just staying with us. I'll let him know you're here inspector." Dawn replied in perfect Japanese.

"Thank you. Your Japanese is excellent by the way." he complimented her.

"Thank you." she said demurely. "HARRY! THERE's AN INSPECTOR JIRO TO SEE YOU!" Dawn's yelling brought everyone running.

Xander was he first quickly followed by Harry and Gibs. "What part of undercover did you not understand?" Harry yelled.

"I'm twelve. Sue me. Later..." she left and waved her hand behind her. The girls were already waiting for her in the lobby.

"Your agents get younger and younger every time I see you." Jiro told Harry. Xander could see the amusement in his eyes.

"She's not an agent, but she should have known better." Xander replied.

"I don't believe we have been introduced, I'm inspector Jiro." Xander shook his hand and stepped back and waived him inside.

"I know who you are inspector, please join us." Xander invited the man once he crossed the threshold.

"Harry it's good to see you again my friend."

"It's good to see you as well Jiro. I see you got promoted."

"Yes I have thank you. It was mostly due to the last mission we ran..." Jiro stopped talking when he noticed Xander was looking at him.

"Oh don't mind me. I know all about the thing with thing and what's her name the Chinese agent with the blond hair..." Xander smiled.

"I was right. You're agent are much younger."

"Xander's not an agent Jiro." Harry explained.

"Harry only a high level agent would have known these details as vague as he explained them."

"That's because he, we-I..." Harry turned to Xander and asked, "How do you explain us?"

"Mind transfer." Xander smirked.

"Mind transfer?" Jiro wasn't buying.

"How would you explain it Harry?" Xander asked.

"I guess mind transfer and mind meld would come closest." Harry shrugged. It did in a way.

"You have that technology that far developed?" Jiro asked Harry.

"What developed? It was an accident." Xander snorted. "It even had side effects."

"Such as?"

Xander looked at Harry; who shrugged and nodded his head to let Xander explain it his way, "Someone ho their hands on one of those black crystal and decided to use it as a power source, I was a janitorial engineer and Harry had come down to get something for a mission and the doc, who was blown up by his own experiment hit something and it jarred the beam of energy he was shooting at the crystal and instead of being absorbed like the rest; it refracted and hit Harry and passed through him to me. The beam hit something behind me and got bounced back through me to Harry and into the crystal, which blew up. The Doc was killed me and Harry had a moment that lasted a life time and we both became as one person. It combined everything, both the physical and the mental. The first pass through doubled our strength and the second quadrupled it. Harry's stronger 'cause he's bigger, but I'm not that far behind."

Jiro looked at Harry and said, "You expect me to believe that?"

Harry shrugged, picked up a crowbar and turned it into a pretzel. He passed it to Xander who with a lot more effort returned it to it's original shape.

"..." Jiro had nothing to say. Harry was strong, but was inhumanly strong. The kid was slightly weaker, like he admitted, but that was only compared to Harry.

"Yeah I had that same look too." Gibs grinned at Jiro.

"It's hard to take," Jiro had a thought, "Could you kill one of those Yuma things?"

"With the right weapon yes." Harry pulled out the K-bar Xander gave him.

"That's a combat knife." Jiro observed.

"It is, with a little extra..." the k-bar had a faint energy field that was barely noticeable in the bright room.

"I see..." Jiro saw the energy field when Harry held it up against a dark background. "You said that you had a prisoner?"

"Yes we captured one of the leaders. We've been trying to get him to talk, but he's tough..." Harry told him while he slid the K-bar back into its sheath, and put it back at the small of his back.


	17. Chapter 17

**Tokyo, Japan.  
Crown Game Center.**

* * *

"Crown plaza. Looks like a fun place; how about it?" Dawn asked the girls.

"I don't know? What's so fun about it?" Dana asked.

"I'm with the squirt, what's to impress?" Faith looked around the area and saw that here and there a bit of damage could be seen. It was in the process of getting repaired; it didn't look like normal construction. This looked like battle damage. "Dawn is this one of the areas normally hit by the demons?"

"Yes it is. Why'd ask?"

"'Cause of all the damage around. Why'd you pick this place?"

"Where else are we going to connect with those Sailor girls? This looks like the right spot to me. Something has to be drawing them here..."

"Ya mean like a Hellmouth?" Faith cut in.

"Exactly! A Hellmouth or a weakness in the space time boundaries." Dawn smiled at Faith for giving her the idea.

"In that case let's go in." Faith shrugged but made a final check on her weapons.

Inside the courtyard they saw the same theme played out. The Crown Game Center, the Crown Fruit & Veggie Shop, the Crown Theaters, the Crown Ice-cream Parlor, etc, etc, and so on.

"How original?" Dana snarked.

"Who cares about the names? It's the goods themselves that count. Let's try out the ice cream place." Dawn was way too cheerful for Faith' taste, but then she remembered when she too was twelve and hey, ice-cream.

"Why not? It's ice-cream after all."

The three girls went in and walked up to the counter to get some icy goodness.

"What's that one say?" Faith asked pointing at a green ice-cream tub.

Dawn read the name on the label "Green tea ice-cream."

"Pass..."

"I'm gonna have to agree with my look-alike..." Faith made a face.

"Why am I the look-alike? Why not you?"

"Older, first as Slayer, not a virgin..."

"Hey, hey, hey. TMI Faith. Young ears and all that..."

"Who are you kidding'? The other you gave birth to that." She pointed at Dana.

"Exactly, so lay off the inappropriate..." Dawn growled at the older Slayer.

"Okay, okay." Faith laughed and held up her hands in surrender. "Take it easy Momma bear..."

"Not funny Faith. Don't tease..." Dawn pouted and made with the puppy eyes.

Faith giggled and raised her hands in surrender again. "How about that one?" she pointed at another container.

"Squid..."

"Nah...fer real?" Dawn nodded her head, "These people are sick. No way. Don't they have anything normal like chocolate, vanilla or strawberry?"

"You want a banana split?" Dawn asked.

"With chocolate, vanilla and strawberry?"

"Yes..."

"Kay." Faith loved the b-split.

Dawn made the order for the three of them, while Faith and Dana grabbed a free table. A few minutes later Dawn joined them with a tray of ice-cream. She passed the banana split to Faith and the chocolate parfait to Dana. Dawn had gotten the triple chocolate hot fudge brownie.

"That looks good." Dana said between spoons from her own ice cream dish.

"It is good. Want some?" Dawn was subconsciously channeling Helen and Dana fell into the welcome behavior, it felt off somehow, but she couldn't quite put her finger on what was wrong with it.

Dana shrugged it off. She gave Dawn a smile and accepted a portion of her desert.

The girls looked around and enjoyed the relaxed ambiance. It was stress free and relaxing; just what the doctor ordered in fact.

They were laughing and enjoying themselves when a familiar group of girls walked in. There were five of them,

"Faith..." Dawn pointed with her chin in their direction.

Faith stretched back and looked around. She saw the five girls and recognized them, "You'd think they could come up with a better disguise?

"I'm not sure, but do they look crisper to you?" Dawn asked the two girls.

"What do you mean?" Dana looked at the girls and frowned.

"I don't know. It's like-like I'm looking at them without a film of soap in front of my eyes. This is how they should look. Not the other way." her eyes became huge saucers and a light got turned on inside her skull, or it felt like that to Dawn, "I bet you anything that's the real them. The rest of the time we've seen them in costume. There must be a glamour of some kind hiding their identities." she guessed.

"You might be on to something there short stuff." Faith told her.

"Hey, lay-off the height jokes. I'm almost as tall as you and I'm still growing." Dawn warned Faith.

Faith's lip twitched trying to control her laughter. 'She's right. In a year from now she'll be the one making with the height jokes. Better lay-off. Karma's a bitch sometimes.' "Okay no more height jokes." Faith promised.

"Who's for seconds?" Dana asked.

"Me." both girls replied. Dawn laughed with Faith, no worries about watching their weight at this table.

"My treat this time. I hope my Japanese is good enough to order."

"He speaks English." Dawn pointed at the guy who served her.

"Thanks."

"No problem."

Faith smirked.

"What?"

Faith waited until Dana was busy placing their order, "You're freaking her out and she doesn't know why." Faith laughed lightly.

"What do you mean?" Dawn asked. She didn't think she was doing anything freak-worthy.

"You're mothering her, and she's so used to it she can't tell it's coming from the wrong person. Her subconscious knows I bet."

Dawn frowned and thought back on how she was acting, "You're right. Why didn't you tell me before?"

"I just figgered it out."

"Oh..." Dawn looked at Dana and promised herself to dial it back. She liked the girl, and she didn't want to push her away.

The Sailors in their civilian identifies took their normal table and waited for their order to arrive.

Their waiter brought out a tray for the girls and went back for the cart that held the ice-cream for the blonde girl with the twin pig-tails.

"No way she can finish that?" Faith said out loud.

"Always have before." Makoto replied. She turned back and saw who said that. Her eyes grew big as she saw the two sisters and their friend. The one Sailor Pluto warned them about. 'She doesn't look like a Goddess.' Makoto thought.

"That ice-cream tub weighs more than her. Where's she gonna put it?" Faith was about to snark, when Usagi became a human tornado and her arms became faster than speeding bullets as she shoveled the ice-cream into the black hole that was her stomach.

"Is-is she even human?" Faith was awe struck. She wanted to do that. "I wanna try that." she said.

"Why don't you? It's fun." Usagi told her. 'Finally someone who understands my ice-cream craving.' Usagi encouraged Faith to try it. "They even have a prize. It's free if you finish the entire bowl."

Faith looked at Dawn as Dana came back with their order. "What's going on?" she asked.

"Faith wants to eat her weight in ice-cream." Dawn explained.

"Cool. Got for it." Dana placed the tray on the table and gave Faith both thumbs up.

"Yeah why not? It's not like it'll kill you." Dawn shrugged. She thought it was a stupid idea, but she squashed the thought just in case it was coming from her Helen side.

"Toru you have a new brave contestant who wants to try and snipe for the title." Mina told the Ice-ream parlor manager.

"That's take a shot at the title." Ami whispered to Mina.

"What's the difference?" asked the blonde. Ami ignored her as the manager came from the back.

A very large man came from the door behind the counter, "Is this true miss?" he asked politely.

"I guess..." Faith didn't like how that came out. She sounded 'wishy-washy' to her ears she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Yes. I want a shot at the title."

"Very well miss?"

"Faith."

"Thank you. I am Toru..." Toru went back to the cash register and grabbed the microphone. "Ladies and Gentlemen of all ages. We have a new challenger. Another brave soul is about to attempt to unseat the current Champion Usagi Tsukino as the undisputed ice-cream eating Champion of the world!"

"What? Her?" Faith asked, she then remembered the girl's inhuman capacity to put it away and backed off.

"Miss Faith! Are you ready to eat your very own weight in ice-cream?"

"Yeah...I guess..." Faith hesitated, but the cheers from her friends and everyone spurred her on. 'Oh boy. What did I just get myself into?'

Two employees came from the back dragging a cart behind them. On the cart was a scale and tubs of ice-cream.

"Miss Faith could you please get on the scales for the weigh in ceremony?"

"S-sure." Faith got weighed and everyone cheered her on.

"Now we will match that weight with ice-cream." the two employees began to dump the ice-cream into a large crystal bowl as fast as they could. When they had put enough ice-cream to match Faith's weight they stopped; backed away and bowed to Faith.

"Uh yeah..." she gave them a half assed bow because Dawn jabbed her bony elbow into her side."Knock it off..." she whispered from the side of her mouth.

"This is a huge deal. You gotta be careful you don't insult them. If you don't bow back and stuff when they do, you could lose face even if you win the contest. They're going out of their way to talk in English, to make you feel comfortable. Don't throw all that in their face; that means watch it." Dawn snarled.

"Alright... 'Cheesh. What a grouch.'

"The bowl is full and it matches the weight of our beautiful contestant..." Toru came around and stretched his hand, Faith took the the hand and he led her to a chair, "You may begin. There is no time limit, but you cannot stop until the last spoonful is gone."

The crowd cheered her on and Faith played up to the crowd holding both of her hands clasped high above her head with a confident smile. She took a deep breath and slowly let it out. She did that a few times before she sat down. She picked up a spoon and began to eat.

Halfway through eating her weight in ice-cream Dawn saw Faith's eyes bug-out, "What's the matter?"

"Ice-cream headache..." she ate a lot slower rate than before while she put the pain behind her.

Dawn began to massage her shoulders and used a hot towel provided by the Crown Ice-Cream Parlor to clean her up while she dipped the spoon into the bowl.

Faith gave her a grateful smile and continued to force herself. It felt good when put it in, but the pain on the way down was bad.

"Mr. Toru what about bathroom breaks?" Dawn asked.

"No bathroom breaks. Champion Tsukino didn't need them."

"What does it say in the rules? Is she allowed a break?" Dawn pushed the point.

Toru grumbled silently, but he checked the rules closely. He moved the document up and down. He finally gave up and put on his reading glasses and re-read the pertinent sections, "It seems she is allowed one break, but only one. Do you wish to take it now, or later?"

"Hold on, I need to consult with my girl." Dawn got close to Faith and whispered, "What do you think? Go for it now or later?"

"Now! I feel like I'm going to burst."

"We'll take the break now." Dawn told the manager.

Toru grumbled, but he had one of the female employees escort Faith to the washroom.

"I didn't need no bathroom breaks." Usagi humphed.

"Don't be a spoiled sport about this Usagi. We can't all have a singularity in our stomachs like you do." Ami told her. Usagi sniffed. "She is very brave. I don't think anyone else has ever managed to reach this point before."

"Okay, I'll give her that." Usagi conceded.

Faith came back and took her seat. She started eating her ice-cream with renewed energy until she finished the last spoon.

"She-she-she did it." Toru could not believe his eyes. The skinny gaigin had defeated the Ice-Cream Parlor and was the new Champion. He knew it wouldn't last. When Tsukino, Usagi grew up and gained the appropriate weight she would regain the title, but for now this small girl held the undisputed title as the Ice-Cream Eating Champion of the world.

There were pictures taken with the Champion after Dawn had cleaned her up. That was when the negaverse decided to crash the proceedings.

The Sailors scrambled to the washroom to change and Dawn with the help of Dana and a waddling Faith challenged Fontana the syrup dispenser of evil.

Dawn and Dana distracted Fontana and while Faith grabbed unopened heavy ice-cream barrels from the freezer and threw them at the Yuma.

"STOP!" Sailor Moon demanded when she and the rest of the girls made their appearance.

"Who's going to stop me little girl? You? Don't make me laugh. When I am done with you, you will beg me to..." BAM!

Dawn had loaded her desert eagle with a demon killer round, and put a hole through the Yuma's chest. Fontana staggered back and clutched her chest. "You-you shot me?"

"Duh!"

"Your puny weapons don't work against us?" she tried to bluff through the pain in her empty chest cavity. Fontana opened all the dispensers on her body and shot everyone and everything with ice cold syrup, scalding hot caramel syrup and blasted icy chocolate chips like bullets from a machine gun.

Faith couldn't move out of the way in time and a cold blast of sticky strawberry syrup hit her in her stomach, "BBBLLLAAAAGGGHHHHHH!"

The projectile vomiting that came out of the slayer coated the Yuma from head to toe. It also had the added benefit of blinding her.

Dawn took the opportunity to jump up from cover and double-tap the Yuma in her head. She jumped back to cover behind an overturned table as the Yuma exploded.

The explosion had covered the entire Parlor with various flavors of syrup. It also covered the Sailor Scouts from head to toe, just like Fontana was covered with vomit. In fact Ami figured that some of that exploding vomit must have mixed in with the syrup when Fontana exploded. She was about to make that observation when Usagi cleaned her face with her hand and licked her fingers right after. Ami decided it was better to not to mention her quite probably accurate hypothesis.

"Aaagggghhh!"

"Faith are you alright?" Dawn and Dana rushed to Faith's prone body.

"..."

"What was that?" Dawn leaned closer.

"I SAID GET THE FUCK OFF MY HAND!"

Dawn jumped back and off Faith's fingers, "Sorry-sorry-sorry..."

"Better, ow, ow, ow. It hurts..."

"Can I help?" asked Sailor Moon.

"I dunno? Can you?" Faith asked the blonde girl.

"We'd appreciate whatever you do Usagi." Dawn told her earnestly.

"No no no. My name's Sailor Moon. Not this Usagi person who I don't know anything about."

"Listen I'm sorry I took your ice-cream eating title, but I'm certain that when you're ready you'll take that title right back without any effort." Faith told her.

"You-you think?"

"Uh hn. I have faith in you. Now do what you can please. It really hurts." Faith knew that she'd be a lot better in a few hours, but if Blondie here could do something now she wasn't going to turn her down.

'Wow that's the nicest thing anyone ever said to me. Not like that evil Rie who's mean to me all the time. Stopping me from eating the food she prepares and reading the manga she puts on the table. If she didn't want anyone reading her stupid manga she shouldn't put it on the table in the first place..."

Dawn was waving her hand in front of the spaced out blonde, "Usagi are you okay?"

"She's just spaced-out. She does that from time to time, but only after the danger passes." Ami explained.

"Right a fellow Magical girl warrior has fallen in battle and it's my duty as Sailor Moon to heal her. Stand back." Usagi went into pose mode as she made her speech.

"Does she do that a lot too?" Dawn asked Ami.

Ami nodded. She didn't say anything to embaress Usagi, but she could tell that Usagi was sweating.

Usagi began her wind up and let lose with a Moon Healing Escalation. She gave it her all.

When the light show was over everyone looked at Faith.

"Wow!" Dawn and Dana said at the same time. Faith stood up without pain and her clothes were clean. She was clean. In fact everything and everyone was clean.

"Wow is right." Faith saw her reflection in a mirror and had to agree, "You do good work Blondie. Thank you."

"You're welcome." Usagi replied.

"You..." Faith pointed at Dawn now that there wasn't anything to distract her.

Dawn pointed at her under-developed chest, and mouthed 'Moi?'

"Yes you. You've been holding out on me with the Demon Killer ammo. Give!" she demanded.

"Nu uh. Xander said you can't have any." Dawn stood her ground.

"Gimme one good reason why not?"

"Because Faith like your vomiting, you spray indiscriminately."

"I do not. Now make with the sharing."

"No way. These are triple blessed silver bullets with runic script dipped in holy water. Do you have any idea how expensive they are?"

"I don't care. I'm the Magical girl who has to fight the demons one on one and I should be the one with the cool toys."

"No way." Dawn folded her arms in front of her under developed twelve year old (Although she'll argue that she'll be thirteen in three weeks) chest.

"Girls please. There's no need to fight..." Ami tried to stop the two girls from coming to blows when someone cleared their throat.

"Uhm I say again in case you didn't get the message the first time." Xander stood with Harry in the doorway. Behind them were Gibs, Inspector Jiro and the two moms.


	18. Chapter 18

**Tokyo, Japan.  
Crown Game Center.**

* * *

Dana was talking with Faith and her mom while the other girls finished cleaning up the Crown Ice-Cream Parlor.

"Honey are you sure?"

"I'm sure mom. It's like this enormous invisible weight that was crushing me down without my knowing realizing was there; suddenly lifted from my shoulders." Dana looked into her mother's eyes and the Faith, "It was such a relief, I can't really describe it properly, like-like..."

Faith put her hand on Dana's shoulder, "I know..."

Dana smiled at Faith and nodded her head, "I guess you would..."

Dawn and Joyce walked up the two girls and Helen, "I think that this means some unlucky girl out there is now the new slayer."

"Yer right on the money there honey." Xander plopped down beside them, "What I can't figure out is who's girl number two and if the spirit chose someone from this dimension or if she went back home since I don't think there's another match as close to Faith and Dana, or I could be completely wrong and the next closest girl that qualifies will pop-up around the corner."

They all looked to the front door as a tiny bell rang and a red haired girl walked in.

The girl stopped in her tracks when she saw that everyone was looking at her. "Excuse me," she bowed and said, "I'll come back later." the girl quickly ran out of the Ice-Cream Parlor.

"No..Way..." Sailor Moon said as she pointed at the running girl's back, "There's no way that Naru Osaka's a Magical Girl. Luna said so."

"Who's Luna? And how can she tell who's a Magical Girl and who isn't?" Xander asked politely.

"Um, she..." Usagi began to twiddle her thumbs trying to come up with an explanation.

Xander decided to tease her for listening in; even though he was guilty if the same thing himself. 'These darn ears, and the enhanced senses that go with them.' He thought insincerely. "I bet she's your talking per/mascot or something." he winked knowingly.

"WHAT! HOW DID YOU KNOW!" all five girls shouted at the same time.

Xander looked up at the ceiling and griped, "Could you guys be any more cliche?"

"Who are you talking to?" asked Inspector Jiro.

That was what everyone wanted to know as well, "The Powers That Be or better known as the (PTBs); generally the higher powers in charge of a dimension. They try to keep the nasties in check through the use of mortal agents, like the Slayers and the Sailors."

"Whoa, I've never heard anyone explain it so clearly before." Sailor Moon understood that, unlike that stuff Luna kept force feeding her.

"Are you sayin' that this whole thing a fight over turf?"

"Yep, with the winner take all."

"What do you mean?" asked Ami.

"What it boils down to is that your Negaverse or Dark Kingdom wants to consume our energy and you are trying to stop that. The energy is being fed to this Queen Beryl, who takes her cut and feeds the rest to her boss Metallia, Metallica whatever; who will probably try to consume this planet or solar system and then the Universe."

"Aren't stretching a bit?" Harry asked, after everyone who wasn't seated picked themselves off the floor.

"I don't think so, but with her help we can find out." Xander pointed at Sailor Moon.

"My help?" Usagi pointed at her chest, "What can I do?" she asked Xander.

"You are a holy cleanser. You push out evil with your healing light. Dark and light, matter and anti-matter cannot co-exist. You get what I'm going to trademark the 'pop goes the weasel' effect."

"I am not a maid!" Usagi huffed, she would have puffed, but she knew she didn't have the chest for it yet.

"Never said you were..." Xander saw that the kid was a little touchy, 'Gotta be careful how I handle her.', "What I meant was that I can slowly remover he dark energy and you can replace it with the life energy you channel. I have someone in mind who should know what the other side is really doing; will you help us turn him from the dark side?"

"I-I-I will do my best!" Usagi said firmly.

"That's all that anyone could ask." Xander gave her his best encouraging smile.

Usagi smiled back. She felt good inside when he smiled at her like that, 'Why can't Tuxedo Mask smile at me like that?' she wondered.

"Harry get the cleaning service in here. Fun time's over; time to get back to work."

"You call this fun?" the girls complained.

"Oh yeah, girls..." Xander's brain caught up with him and told and sent him a red alert that if he finished that sentence he was a dead-man. "But 'Fun-time's' over. We need to take care of business."

Joyce and Helen looked at each other and smirked, they knew where he was really going with that one. "Boys..." they sighed together.

"Can't shoot them..." Helen began.

"Or they won't do the dishes." Joyce finished.

"You call it dishes, that's so cute." Helen giggled.

"What do you call it?"

"Harry..." Helen saw that all eyes were on them, and that Dana was about to die from embarrassment. "Oh grow up. Let's go." she gave her hand to Joyce and the other woman took it and together they led the way out of the Ice-Cream Parlor.

"Harry taking out the trash..." Xander teased, until Harry side slugged him.

Xander flew six feet and landed in front if Dawn. She looked down at him with no sympathy what so ever, "It's your fault. You know he doesn't like to be teased about that."

Again Dana wanted to die from embarrassment, twice in less than a minute, "I so need a saner family."

"At least you have one." Faith told her as she followed the ladies.

**  
Tokyo, Japan.  
Tokyo Hilton.**

* * *

"Mackie..."

"Yes love " replied Mackie the shark-lady.

That declaration made Xander stop suddenly, "Wh-what?"

Dawn didn't like hearing that at all. The fish was poaching, "I'll poach her...' she snarled.

The Sailor Scouts backed up not knowing the situation but not seeing any obvious danger.

"What can I do for you master?" she asked demurely.

"BWAAWAHAHAHAHAHA! Xander has a sex slave! BAAHAHAHAHA! You've got skillz in the sack Harris, but you're not that good." Faith went to her room to change. She had pissed herself laughing so hard, but that was so totally worth it.

Dawn, Harry, Helen and Joyce sniffed, but didn't say anything.

Everyone piled into the room, while Xander got to the bottom of suddenly acquiring a sex slave without even knowing how; of secondary importance was if he could duplicate it and whether at some far off point in the future he might want to.

Dana led Gibs, Faisal and Inspector Jiro into the suite and Faisal closed the door. Dana sniffed, "Who pissed their pants?" she asked.

No one answered her.

She shrugged and went to her room to change her grimy sweat stained clothes. Her mom had made her clean the kitchen. It wasn't even part if the fight, but she still made her clean it up anyway. 'Mothers, can't ignore them of they'll punish you and hold it over your head until you're like a hundred and twelve.

Xander sighed while Mackie explained how he was her total master and why. 'Damn sword, but it's a Rune weapon. A sex slave making Rune weapon. Must resist the temptation.' he returned to the others and gave them something else to think about. "Looks like Zoisite is prepped. Let's see about finally buying a clue."

"Are we going to the market to buy one? I Love shopping until I call down. Then I get to get up again and start all over." Minako smiled at Xander making with the flirty eyes. He obviously had experience. She liked that in a man. Now if only a man she freaking liked would buy a clue and notice. What's a girl supposed to do? Strip naked and wrap the idiot in her panties to get her point across.

"I think you mean shop till you drop." Ami corrected her.

"Uh huh, that's what I meant." she politely replied to Ami, 'She's so innocent...no, it's still cute.'

Xander ignored the girl making with the flirty and spraying the room with her fruity come fuck already scent, 'Must be a side effect of her magic.' he sighed, 'It's one underage girl after another. How am I supposed to play the good guy if they keep throwing it in my face like that? Damn bored PTBs I blame them. "While Mackie's getting Zoisite ready, any questions?"

"Yeah I have a few..." Minako started.

"That's good write them down until after we're done, 'I know what her questions are. This girl has less self-control than Cordy.', "Are you ready Sailor Moon?"

"Ready!" she said firmly.

Xander waited for her to come along.

"..."

Xander saw her panic. She hid it well,but he could see it in her eyes, "You don't know what you've just agreed to; do you?"

Usagi was sweating bullets, 'I really don't. I should have paid attention when he was talking.'

"That's okay. I never pay attention to boring adults either." Xander's smile put her at ease, "C'mon we're going to make a bad guy change his tune."

"We're going to teach him how to sing?"

'She can't be that clueless. It's like when Buffy does her I'm a blonde act only times ten. Hmm, I can't tell if she's faking it or not. Better not take the chance.', "I want to thank you for all your help Usagi. Please follow me and let's strike a blow against the Dark Kingdom that will be felt for future generations.

"He's laying it on pretty thick, don't you think?" Dawn asked her mom.

"I think in this case he might need to. I've noticed that he always knows how to get the best of everybody. He's doing the same thing with her." She looked at Dawn and with her eyes she convinced her to follow behind Xander and Usagi.

Harry, and Jiro came along, and that spurred the rest of the Scouts to do the same.

The bedroom was large, but with everyone coming along it was getting pretty crowded.

The Scouts saw Zoisite sitting in a chair and reading a book. Mackie was serving him a beverage, a fruity drink with an umbrella.

"Xander..." he raised the drink, "Just for introducing me to this delightful drink, I will retain your services as a servant..." through the alcoholic haze he saw the crowd as it began to fill the room,"...You've brought guests. How nice. Introduce us!" he commanded, "Don't bother with the Scouts. I know who they really are."

"You-you do? How?" Sailor Moon asked.

"Parties. Lot's and lots of official and boring parties. How I hated those functions. So stiff and formal."

"What else do you remember?" Sailor Moon demanded.

"HA! I won't tell you. I don't like you. You are not like Xander. He brings me delicious fruity drinks. You girls bring me nothing but headaches. All women bring nothing but headaches. You are nothing but a plague on the planet. If I could get rid of that red-headed harridan..."

"How would you like to get out from under her thumb?" Xander suggested.

"If only friend Xander...If only it was that simple..."

"I've got an idea. Are you game?"

"..."

Xander waved his hand in front of his face. "Nothing, he's zoned..." he slapped him lightly.

"...Hmm Xander...you want something?"

"Do you want to get rid of Beryl?"

"Yes."

"Stand up!"

"I will...how?" Xander rolled his eyes.

"Mackie help him please." he sighed.

Mackie helped Zoisite stand up.

Xander pulled his Black Rune Sword from stuff space and jabbed the tip into Zoisite's chest.

"I seem to have a sprung a leak. I wonder how that happened? Do you know how, Xander?"

"Yes I do..." he told Mackie to hold him still and to not let go, "Sailor Moon start feeding energy slowly please..." Xander began to slowly suck the dark energy out of his body and soul.

Usagi was unsure of how to start so she decided to do a Moon Healing escalation, but instead of unleashing the energy as a flood she tried to let it out a s trickle. It worked at first. She was able to control the pressure. She saw the energy go into Zoisite and she could see it fill him up. 'How come I've never tried that before?' she wondered.

After a minute or so Xander had removed about half of the dark and polluted energy from the drunken villain, 'If he wasn't so drunk this would have hurt like hell.' Xander continued what he was doing until he felt pressure from the other side. "Sailor Moon you have to stay in control. You're letting too much energy flow into him too fast..." Xander tried to compensate by removing the energy faster, but the pressure didn't let up. "Slow...down..." he said through gritted teeth.

"I-I can't. I'm...barely... holding... on..."

"Not... good..." he tried harder and hoped it would be enough. It was now a race to see if he could safely remove the energy before Usagi burnt it out of the captured general. He was close to the finish line when he felt this overwhelming flood of energy about to crash through, "Oh...shit..." Xander gambled and sucked more soul energy than he was comfortable with, before the blinding white energy flowing from Usagi; clashed with it's opposite and burnt it, and the vessel that contained it to a crisp.

Zoisite screamed as a portion of his newly cleansed soul was eaten by the Black Sword. Xander had to fight the sword to stop it from completely ripping the newly freed soul from the body at it's mercy. Xander knew that if he failed here the sword would rule him and not the other way around.

"YAAARRRGGGGGHHHHHH!" with a mighty scream of his own Xander pulled the sword out and stopped it from feeding any longer. He was the master, and he let the sword know it. Three in one. Three different souls in one body challenged the sword for supremacy and they won. Barely, but won just the same. Xander willed the sword away and it reluctantly disappeared back to where it was stored in Xander's soul space.

Xander's body was drenched in sweat and so was Sailor Moon. He collapsed on the bed and Usagi fell next to him breathing heavily. "That-that was a rush." she smiled.

"Not...not...so much for me." his breathing was heavy as well, his from exhaustion and hers from exhilaration.

Harry helped Mackie put Zoisite's exhausted body on the other side of the bed. "Anyone who doesn't need to be here out!"

No one moved.

"That means everyone! NOW!" Harry commanded.

Reluctantly everyone moved out.

When the room was empty except for the unconscious people and Mackie he frowned. He didn't need to be here either. "Keep an eye on them Mackie!"

"Yes sir Mr. Tasker." she replied with a smile. She liked him. He felt just like her master.

Harry sighed and left the room. He turned off the lights and closed the door on the way out.

Mackie sat happily beside her master and sang an ancient lullaby in a long dead language that was forgotten in the mists of time.


	19. Chapter 19

**  
Tokyo, Japan.  
Tokyo Hilton.**

* * *

Xander woke up first and his movements had the same effect and woke up his neighbor.

"Five more minutes mom." Usagi snorted and flopped back on the bed.

Xander smiled, "A kid after my own lazy heart." Xander approved. "Honey...wake up...it's time to go to school."

"Aw mom...five more...YAWAAANNN...minutes..." she turned on her side.

"Ooh. A master of the game eh! He he he; Usagi it's time for you to go to school young lady!" Xander used his best mother like imitation. Nothing else would do, he was up against a master after all.

"LUNA I said five more minutes..." she whined as she turned on to her stomach.

'Luna? That's her magical guide, familiar thingy. I guess it must live with her, and sounds kinda pushy too.' he shook her.

Usagi ignored him and didn't budge, 'Luna's kinda pushy today. Tough, I'm not moving...' she snored away.

"Mackie, can you wake up Zoiburg please?"

"Yes oh wonder Master..."

"Xander." he corrected her automatically.

"Oh yes, yes, yes oh wonderful Xander." Mackie shrugged not much difference between Xander and master. They sounded the same and Xander was just another way of saying 'Master' anyway.

She shook her ex-master by the shoulder. A grunt was all she got.

'Master...Xander said wake him up. He didn't say how.' she went to the adjoining washroom and got a large glass of water.

While her wonderful and gentle Xander was teasing the nasty Sailor Moon; she threw the icy water into Zoisite's face.

Zoisite jackknifed off the bed gasping for breath. He looked around and saw his ex-minion looking at him with an empty glass of water in her hand.

"There was no need for that..." he wiped his face with the bed covers.

Sailor Moon had finally lost her fight with. Xander and woke up as well.

"P-Princess S-Serenity...I-I-I..."

"Not now Zoisite, everyone follow me..." Xander led them out of Zoisite's room and into the suite.

"Xander..." Dawn rushed and jumped into his arms. Her hug just about crushed her ribs.

"Ow, ow, ow. Air Dawny I need air..." he took deep breaths when Dawn let go.

"You're such a faker Xander Harris. Remember you taught that trick."

"So I did." he gave her his best smile and a one armed hug around the shoulders.

'Ooh unsolicited physical contact.' she shivered all over.

Joyce noticed the by-play but didn't say anything. At least this one had a pulse and was within five years her age. She also trusted him not to take advantage. She just needed to keep reminding him how proud she was of his maturity and understanding. Nothing like a bit of motherly guilt trip to make sure he sticks to his guns and morals. 'Buffy you idiot...' once again she despaired for her eldest daughter, and her abysmal choices in men.

"How are you feeling?" Harry asked.

"I'm okay…" replied Xander.

"Not bad…" added Usagi.

"I could use a drink…Mackie…" Zoisite yelled, and was surprised when Mackie gave him a prepared drink. She was bored while watching these three, so she filled her time by making snacks, preparing drinks and so on.

"Uh…thank you…" he gulped the first glass, "Another…"

She replaced his glass with another, "Here you go sir…" he was her creator after all. He was no Xander, but then not many people were, except for maybe the Harry person, but he already had a keeper.

"That's enough…It's time for some 20/20. Let's start with the obvious…Who are you?" Xander asked.

"I am general Zoisite. I and three other generals are under the command of the Prince of Earth, Prince Endymon. I am also a member of the Shitennou…and lastly I was Queen Beryl's general, but now that her dark influence has been removed…" he bends on both knees and bows in front of Usagi, "I offer you my services Princess Serenity…"

He stayed on his knees with his head bowed down while Usagi went into her panic dance, "Wha-What? But-but, I-I-I…"

"Take a deep breath please…" Xander put his hand on Usagi's shoulder and stopped her panic attack in its place.

"I'm a Princess?" Usagi asked Zoisite.

"That you are. Without Beryl's influence, I can remember everything. You are Serenity; Princess of the Moon and the daughter of Queen Serenity Queen of the Solar Empire." Zoisite explained, "Will you take back into your service?" Zoisite begged.

"Usagi saw that he meant it with all his heart and soul. She also knew somehow that if she didn't accept him into her service he would be devastated. "Yes." She said meekly.

"Thank you your Highness." Zoisite got off his knees, backed off two steps and bowed, "You will not regret this decision and kindness. My life is yours. I have but one request…"

"What is it?" she asked.

"If it's within your power could you spare my lovers life as well?" his emotions were open for everyone in the room to read.

"Wh-Who is your lover?" Usagi dreaded the answer.

"Kunzite."

Usagi's shoulders slumped.

"Don't be sad Usagi-chan. We're all here for you. You are not alone, always ask for help if you need it; the burden is much easier to carry with help around." Xander's words brought Usagi's spirits back up.

"Thank you Xander-san. Thank you everyone for being there for me in my hours of need." She bowed to everyone in the room to show them her heartfelt relief that she was not alone and that she had a lot more friends she could count on than she ever thought.


	20. Chapter 20

****

Tokyo, Japan.  
Tokyo Hilton.

* * *

Zoisite was spilling his guts. He told the intelligence officers everything; so much so that the implications were staggering.

"They-they-they want to eat the world Harry, and not in a fun way eat you, but in a I'm not even leaving leftovers way." Gibs as far as Xander could tell, was at the edge of panic.

"You know a good way to eat the world uncle Gibs?" Dana had smirk on her face that matched the one Faith sprouted.

Gibs gave that idea a bit of thought, "NO! There's no good way you can eat the world...unless you're Mars and you're dating Venus..."

Minako snorted, "Nope I can't see that happening; she's too straight laced..."

Xander and Faith snorted, but no one else seemed to notice. They were busy with Gibs the drama queen and his panic attack.

"...Forget I said that." Gibs added hurriedly.

"What's his problem?" Joyce asked Xander.

"It's his first Apocalypse..." he faced Joyce, "He's handling it pretty good."

"You call that good?"

"You threw Buffy out of the house for your first." Xander used his patent pending deadpan delivery.

Joyce hesitated only slightly, "You're right, he's doing pretty good."

Xander chuckled, he noticed that the Sailor Scouts had gathered into a huddle, they were whispering amongst themselves about the upcoming Apocalypse and trying to make plans to rescue Tuxedo Mask.

Xander snuck up on them with realizing it. It was a habit he developed in Sunnydale when he was on his own. "It would be easier if you included us in the plans, it's our planet too, unless you're sticking to this princess nonsense. You're kingdom has what? Six, maybe seven people in it without counting the...cat? Help me out here, is it one cat two? More?"

No one volunteered an answer; after the Sailor Scouts settled down from the surprisingly sneaky guy, they looked at each other and then looked to Usagi.

"What? Why are you all looking at me like that?"

"You are the moon princess." Rei told her snidely.

Xander laughed at them. He saw Dawn had snuck up behind them and was listening in.

"What are you laughing about?" Rei demanded.

"According to Zoiberg..."

"Zoisite." Usagi said firmly.

"Excuse me?"

"His name is Zoisite. Not Zoiberg, please remember that." Usagi explained again politely, but firmly. Zoisite had pledged his undying support and loyalty to her personally. It was the least she could do.

'She's got potential. Good.' Xander gave her his best I'm your harmless friend smile, "You're right. I no longer have the right to call him that behind his back, and he didn't do anything to deserve the wrath of the silly name calling technique."

"Seriously you gotta shorten that." Dawn spoke up from behind the Scouts.

"Again with the surprised screaming, you girls need some serious training..." Dawn rolled her eyes.

"L-Lady Dawn...We-we didn't see you..."

Dawn rolled her eyes again. She filed away the Lady Dawn reference and saw Xander do the same, "Too busy plotting to notice, I get that, but my Xander's right. You have to try and be aware of your environment at all times. It's such a small price to pay for you know..." when the scouts didn't interrupt her, she kept going, "...not dying."

"Oh."

"Say Dawn?"

"Yes Dana?"

"How come you rate this Lady Dawn treatment from princesses no less?"

Dawn shrugged her shoulders; she didn't know. It was nice, but why? She looked at the Sailor Scouts, but they didn't volunteer any answers. 'That's how they wanna play it?' she decided to get it out of them the sneaky way, when that didn't work, she could always throw a temper tantrum.

"Do you girls have a hidden agenda you wanna share?" Xander wiggled his eyebrows. 'Nothing. These girls are tough.' He felt a slap, when he looked Dawn was giving him the evil eye. "What?"

"Clueless. Go play with Harry, and leave the serious negotiation to those who don't blow things up for fun." Dawn pointed at Harry, Gibs and Jiro.

"Like you don't like to blow things up." Xander sniffed.

"Not only. I have hidden depth."

"Since when?" he challenged her.

"You-you-you big meanie. Leave..." she pointed at the men again.

"I'm on t you missy. I know all your ways. You don't fool me..."

"As if." She scoffed

Xander wasn't buying her act, but he wasn't about to get into a shouting match with here in front of everyone; no matter how much fun it could be. Instead he huffed and raised his chin into the air and went to join the guys.

"You got told by a twelve year old..." Xander looked at Gibs and snarled.

Gibs took the hint and backed off. There would other opportunities. He smirked and raised his hands in surrender.

Harry wasn't fooled. His eyes narrowed and Xander saw the signs. He shook his head and signed that he would tell him later.

The battle signs weren't lost on either Jiro or Gibs.

The men looked at the huddled girls who were joined by Faith. Xander got Harry's attention and pointed at the balcony with his head.

Harry nodded and led the way.

Gibs looked at Inspector Jiro and shrugged.

Inspector Jiro was torn. He wanted to keep an eye on the girls, but the decision making for the group looked to be centered on Harry and the kid, Xander. One look at the huddled girls and he knew there was no way in hell he was going to be allowed within earshot of what they were talking about. Reluctantly he turned and followed agent Gibs and Harry Tasker out of the room.

"Finally the adults are out of the room." Usagi sighed.

Faith laughed at her, "Believe me if Xander's with them, then they're short an adult."

Dawn would have defended her man's honor, if Faith wasn't telling it like it is.  
Xander was very capable, but one of the main reasons she liked him was that he was more like her and less than the adult he pretended to be.


	21. Chapter 21

**Tokyo, Japan.  
A Government Building.  
**

* * *

Takashi Hino looked at the General in charge of Japan's Self Defense Force. "I am not looking forward to this meeting Ryu."

"Takashi we do not have a choice. The Americans made contact first, but the British, French, Russian and Israelis are not far behind them."

"Just be wise it's true doesn't mean I have to like it. This new shadow war is being fought on Japanese soil..." Takashi's rant was interrupted with a loud beep.

The big screen monitor came to life with an image split four ways. "Mr. Trilby, Secretary Milner and Inspector Jiro." he did not greet them. He just identified them.

Spenser Trilby could tell that the Japanese Defense Minister was not a happy man. "Minister Hino." Trilby nodded his chin in acknowledgment only. If the man was going to be an ass Trilby was ready to return the favor.

"Gentlemen I have a crisis brewing in the Gulf as we speak, by all means let's get to it."

Spenser saw Ryu in the background, he gave him a nod; which General Ruy Ogansaki returned.

Harry joined Jiro in front of the camera, "The Gulf can wait Mr. Secretary, and this can't."

"Who are you to tell me my business Agent...?" Secretary Milner looked at the papers in the file in front of him. It had a list of names and pictures identifying today's players, "...Agent Tasker?" Milner guessed that this would be the American Agent in charge on site. Milner heard someone snort in the background. This raised his hackles. Already this meeting looked like it was heading straight to the crapper, and it hadn't even started yet.

"Never thought I'd meet someone who thought that an incident in the Gulf of trouble took precedence over an Apocalypse..."

"Knock off the Apocalypse talk Alex." Harry growled.

"Ah her let me think about this for a minute Harry...No. We're looking at an Apocalypse in less than a month time and this guy is worried about a lunch appointment..."

"Alex..." Joyce put her hand on Xander's shoulder calming him down.

Milner stopped looking at his papers and looked at the young agent on the screen. His stormy face was ready to rip this agent a new hole when Trilby interrupted cut him off.

"Why don't you let Harry talk Alex? Let him give his assessment of the situation first, so we're all on the same page." Spenser had already looked through Harry's report and he knew how serious this cluster fuck was shaping up to be.

Secretary Milner held on to his wrath, but only until this meeting was over. He was sending this young whipper snapper to Antarctica when this video conference was over.

"We have," Harry nodded his head toward Xander, "…thanks to Alex's efforts managed to turn two enemy agents of extra-terrestrial origins. The information we've mined from the higher level officer a General Zoisite; who gave us a deadline of less than a month. Forces hidden behind energy barriers in Antarctic bases will be unleashing a wave of energy that will end all life on this planet..."

"You can't seriously expect me to believe this crap..." before Secretary Milner could get going he was interrupted by Minister Hino.

"Our information supports his assessment." Takashi's words stopped Milner before his rant could start. "Inspector Jiro..." Takashi gave Inspector Jiro permission to begin his report.

Jiro bowed slightly and began, "Seven month ago the Dark Kingdom launched several attacks in the Juban district of Tokyo. Their objectives were to gather energy to fuel further incursions into our dimension. Their main agent at the time was General Jadeite. He used energy constructs as agents to gather fuel from the unsuspecting population of Tokyo."

Milner was following the report and occasionally glancing down to confirm the dates in the folder. He barely had time to look at the information he was given by his assistant before the meeting started. He was unprepared and having a problem believing most of this crap. The only reason he stayed was because the Japanese Defense Minister and their top general were taking this seriously. He didn't want to create an incident with their closest ally in the Far East. Trilby and his people were cowboys as far as he was concerned, but this didn't start with Omega Sector. This was a Japanese operation that the Omega agents stumbled on by accident.

"After the first incident an independent group began to oppose the Dark Kingdom General. It started with a teenaged girl called Sailor Moon. The frequency and intensity of the attacks began to escalate, and Sailor Moon was soon joined by other girls like her. Sailor Mercury, Sailor Mars, Sailor Venus and Sailor Jupiter…"

"Do we have any names beside these ridiculous code names?" Milner interrupted Jiro's report.

"We do now. May I continue?" he asked politely with a hint of steel in his voice.

'Fuck you too buddy.' Milner stayed quiet and waved the Inspector to go on.

"The intensity and frequency of the attacks were centered in the Juban district. Other districts were hit, like Nerima, but the majority was in Juban. The Sailor Scouts have been able to stop two offensives. Each offensive wave was led by an enemy general. General Jadeite we have learned has been removed by the ruler of the Dark Kingdom for his failure to achieve his objective. His replacement General Nephrite was also killed when the Sailor Scouts stopped his offensive as well. By this time the general population became aware of the problem as more bizarre creatures were caught by media crews and the news broadcast to the general population. Not many believed the reports because the government has kept quiet. The third wave lead by General Zoisite was beginning to be felt by the general public as he began to cast a wider net of operations than just Tokyo, where most of the effective opposition was located. Police and Army units have been ineffective against these energy constructs. They were immune to normal weapons and were able to operate quite effectively without the Sailor Scouts to oppose them. That's when agent Alex Harris and his family got caught in the middle of an attack while they were on vacation. It was due to his efforts and later when joined by agent Tasker's unit, they were able to capture and turn two of the enemy agents, one of whom was General Zoisite…"

"Do we have a clue as to where this Dark Kingdom is located, and I don't mean their Antarctic bases?" Milner cut Jiro off again.

"We have been told that they began on this planet over Millennium ago. According to the debrief he was originally a General under the command of the Prince of Earth. Earth was a member planet of the solar system Empire and part of a confederation of planets ruled from the capital located on the Moon. The Sailor Scouts are reincarnated agents of that long lost kingdom. I'm told that there may yet; still be hidden bases with working space ships and the support technology ready for salvage on the moon. The Solarian were part of a galactic community and it may be a good idea to get some assets on the moon to look for those bases, before we are visited by those galactic civilizations. We are not sure why they have stayed away, but we think that the main force behind the enemy might be the reason we have been left alone."

"Is there a way to contact and control these Sailor Scouts?" Minister Takashi asked.

"Two of the Sailor Scouts are your daughters Minister." Jiro said quietly with a bowed head.

"I only have one daughter Inspector, and she's much too young to be part of…"

"Rei Hino is Sailor Mars." Inspector Jiro replied.

"Inspector are you sure of your information? Rei is barley a fourteen years old girl…" General Ryu Ogansaki asked.

"Yes General Ogansaki. There is no mistake. She and her sister Ami Mizuno 'Sailor Mercury' are part of the Sailor Scouts."

"Ami…" Takashi's quiet whisper was not overlooked.

"Takashi?" General Ogansaki went to his friend and put a hand on his shoulder to show his support.

"Does…Does Saeko…Dr. Mizuno know?" Takashi asked.

"No. None of the parents know. The girls have been quite successful in protecting their identities, until agent Harris and his family stumbled into a battle between the Dark Kingdom and the Sailor Scouts. As a result agent Harris and his family gained abilities that gave them the edge they needed to stand against the Dark Kingdom when General Zoisite went after them." Jiro lied. He owed Harry and it wasn't a complete lie.

"It looks like we don't have to worry too much about a rouge unit of super powered teen aged girls running around. I take it that you have already taken charge Inspector?" Secretary Milner asked.

"No I have not Mr. Secretary. I and agents Harris and Tasker agree that to do so would cripple the effectiveness of the Sailors against the Dark Kingdom. What we have done was pledge support in this fight, and they have agreed to work with us. The fact that they have blood ties to the government means we can work through the parents. They are still young Japanese girls and it wouldn't take much to get them to cooperate with us. Minister I suggest you contact Dr. Mizuno and agent Harris would contact Sailor Moon's parents. I will contact the parents of Sailor Venus. Sailor Jupiter's parents are deceased she lives on her own, but she will follow the other girls and Sailor Moon who's the acknowledged leader of the group."

"It's a good plan Inspector. The girls will do as they're told if we can get the parents on board." General Ogansaki agreed with this course of action.

"What about the technology they're using? Where did they get it?" Spenser asked. There a lot of holes in this report, and he had yet to talk with Harry; to get to the bottom of this farce.

"The girls can still access a few hidden pockets of technology. It's stored in some kind of subspace pockets; we haven't been able to get that far into their story. We had to get your approval before we could go on any further. A decision has to be made by the government Leaders. Other powers are aware of what has been going on in Tokyo and the intelligence services of the major nations are close to finding out what we know. This is not a decision we can make and other governments have the right to know what's going on. It's their planet too; it would be a mistake to leave them out of it. The Chinese would not react well if we do not let them know, and if we have to face an alien incursion it would be best if we had a global consensus."

"Are you seriously suggesting we share this information and technology with the communists?" Secretary Milner was chomping at the bit. Just in case this turned out to be real, there was no way he wanted the Chinese Commies to get their hands on the hidden space ships and weapons.

"We really don't have a choice. The technology isn't accessible to us, only to the Sailor Scouts and they believe in a united world. They do not want to leave anyone behind. It would be a mistake to force them. Their technology is sentient and intent plays a large role in how it's used." Harry told the red faced man.

"That's a bunch of crap…"

"Mr. Secretary I think we should let the President make that decision sir." Trilby derailed the Secretary's rant before he pissed off the people holding most of the cards. The way he saw it the Japanese and the Defense Minister in particular held a pair of aces. Harry and his family were good, but from what he had read so far they were infantry while the Sailors were tactical and strategic weapons on the same level as the US Nuclear inventory.

"This isn't over Trilby…" Secretary Milner's picture disappeared. Harry had no doubt that Spenser was behind it. He wasn't in charge of Omega Sector for nothing.

"Ryu I'll talk to you later. Harry I want a full report by the end of the day. Minister I wish you good luck with your daughters." Spenser's picture disappeared as well.

"Do you have any orders at this time Minister Hino?"

"No Inspector Jiro." Takashi replied.

"Continue with what you were doing Jiro. For now this is a joint operation. Harry you and your family are invited to the house when this is over. I understand that your wife and daughter are with you?" General Ogansaki asked Harry.

"They are Ryu. When this is over we'll make the time for that visit, but for now it looks like we have an Apocalypse on our hands."

"I agree, but I have all the confidence in both you and in Inspector Jiro. You have never disappointed me in the past and I doubt you will now. Good luck Harry, Inspector." Harry and Jiro disappear from the screen and picture turns black before Ryu turns off the power.

"You and Saeko?"

"It was a long time ago. Risa was not well and Saeko was a caring beautiful young doctor. I even introduced her to her husband. Ken's my cousin. I didn't know…"

General Ryu Ogansaki understood the follies of youth too well. He sighed and went to the hidden bar. He poured a couple of fingers of Whiskey into two glasses and gave one to Takashi, "Congratulations it's a daughter." He knocked the glass back slammed it on the desk. Takashi did the same.

"I wonder if Saeko knows the truth." Takashi passed the glass back to his friend, "another. One is just not enough today."

Ryu laughed and agreed. He refilled the glasses and this time he savored the taste as the whiskey went down smoothly with a barely felt burn on its way down to his stomach.

End of Chapter.


	22. Chapter 22

Tokyo, Japan. Tokyo, Hilton.

* * *

Xander and Harry were having a hushed conversation about something; Gibs wasn't sure what? He knew without the shadow of a doubt it was about something, maybe even about him. They did look at him from time to time.

He turned back to Faisal and asked, "Did Harry say anything to you?"

"About what?" Faisal adjusted the T3 line again. He retook the calibration readings again. "This whole thing would be a lot easier at the Embassy."

Gibs slapped his shoulder lightly, "What's wrong with you? We're in one of the better hotels in Tokyo and I might add on the Governments' dime, you instead of enjoying are complaining about the stupid connection. I don't care if you're only getting twenty three megabits for your upload, I barely get half a meg at home. Learn to live with it."

"Unlike you Gibs I'm not using this connection to download porn..."

"You're not? What the hell is wrong with you? This is one of the prime porn mechas on the planet..."  
Let me rephrase that; I'm not only downloading porn, but I'm also..."

Gibs stopped him from going further, "Stop. You had me at I'm downloading porn, everything else doesn't matter; just remember our deal..."

"You get a copy of all pornographic material gathered..."

"You do remember, good. Carry on then." Gibs smile was infectious.

Faisal smiled back and went back to his calibrations, "What did you want to know about Harry?"

"Huh? Never mind about that, you got any good stuff yet?"

"It's in the same place..." Faisal sighed as Gibs rubbed his hands gleefully in anticipation of a good session with the five ladies.

Xander saw Gibs go to his room with a familiar expression on his face, "Did he just...?"

"Get Faisal to share the porn he's been downloading? Looks like."

"Excuse me."

"Where are you going?"

"I need to have a talk with Faisal about his 'Not' sharing."

"There goes the rest of the day. Oversexed Gibs and horomone rampant teenagers. Thank god the girls are out and Jiro's not here." Harry went to his room. He had a lot of paper work to catch up on and no one was around to disturb him.

** Washington D.C. Whitehouse. **

* * *

Secretary Milner was sitting down when Spenser Tilby was allowed in to see the President.  
"Director Tilby nice to see you again. You know..."

"Secretary Milner? We're spoken, nice to meet you in person Mr. Secretary." Tilby had old school manners, he was always nice to strangers, even when he was about to stab them in the heart; one must never forget their manners.

"Yeah same here." Spenser could tell that Milner didn't mean it and his manners were lacking. He could also read the hostility in the man's body language.

"We have a situation in Japan and the Antarctic..."

"I was just telling the President we should just nuke the Arctic and get it over with..."

"Just like that? Never mind the environmental and political implications that 'Nuking' might entail, and the fact that it would be a total failure from a military standpoint?"

How so general Tilby?" asked President Clinton, before Milner exploded.

"I presume you mean about the military failure?" President Clinton agreed and waved for him to go on.  
"The most obvious reason should be the fact we have no targets, the second would be their effectiveness or lack thereof..."

"In what way? Don't get me wrong, the nuclear option should be the last option we consider, but let's say it's gotten to that point, why not?"

"Our intelligence so far suggests that their bases are not in this dimension. They're in the Antarctic and not the Arctic..." Spenser looked at Milner when he said that, "Nuclear strikes wouldn't do much good if they have nothing to hit." Spenser explained that point as if to a five year old, while still looking at Secretary Milner.

President Clinton quickly hid a smile. He didn't like Milner either, but he had to put up with him; it was one of the prices he had to pay to become President of the United States of America.

"Those are some pretty good points against using a Nuclear Strike David, I didn't expect a General to not go for it right off the bat..."

"I'm not ruling it out Mr. President, it's just not the smart option at this time."

"There's nothing smart about any of this crap. I still don't believe any of it..."

"I though that might be the case Mr. Secretary, so I brought some evidence."

"What kind of evidence?" Milner's paranoia was working overtime. He didn't like how he was being played. "It's not from that kid is it? I want him transferred to the Antarctic when we maybe go ahead with the Nuclear option if we had to."

"You want to kill my best agents because you didn't like the bad news they discovered?" Spenser's eyes narrowed dangerously, but Milner was oblivious from his position of power. He had iron clad security. They had Clinton by the balls, that and the little girl he was doing on the side.

"General Tilby could we please move this along?" Clinton was getting tired of all these power games. He couldn't get rid of Milner and he couldn't fire Tilby. Both were dangerous in their own ways.  
"Of course Mr. President."

'At least the General pretends I'm still in command. Too bad the ass can't do the office a similar courtesy.'


	23. Chapter 23

**  
Washington D.C.  
Whitehouse.  
**

"I've had one of the shielded rooms prepped ahead of time Mr. President, please limit your security detail to just two agents. I've already made the arrangement with George."

"I'm surprised that Director Harmon was willing to compromise?"

"George served under me in the past. He knows that your safety will be taken care of properly by Omega Sector. This way sir." Spenser gestured for the President to lead the way. The closest secured room would be used and President Clinton knew the way.

"As the group walked into the room, "I still don't understand why you're putting so much faith in this agents report?" Milner complained loudly, not caring who heard.

"It helps Mr. Milner that agent Tasker already has previous experience with this kind of thing." Spenser stopped pretending to be polite to this man. He had even stopped calling him by his title. It didn't look as it made any difference. Either the man had no clue, didn't care...or... Spenser looked at the man and realized that he knew exactly what he was doing and he knew how he was acting. This was an obvious attempt to embarrass the President.

Then and there he decided to have Mr. Milner's backers checked. They were attempting to usurp the presidency, 'Not on my watch you bastard!'

"How the hell does he have previous experience? He worked as an extra on Star Wars?" Milner laughed a nasty laugh.

"No David." President Clinton replied. 'Lord I'm getting tired if this man.' he looked around the room and saw four people in black suits and two closed boxes. "Agent Tasker has experience with the real deal. That's why we're taking these rumours of 'Space Ships' seriously. When someone who went up against ET's nastier cousin and lived through a nuclear explosion says there's 'Space Ships' involved we take him seriously."

"..." Milner's mouth opened and then closed. 'How the hell do I make a snide remark out of that. ET exists and he's packing nukes. Shit!'

"This way please gentlemen. Behind the shields." Spenser waived the President and Secretary Milner over.

The two men joined him, "Agent Tasker sent a sample of what the Japanese are facing..." Spenser signalled for one of the men to open the first black box.

A panel slid open and a tray slid out. On the tray was a black crystal.

"Doesn't look like much?" Milner observed.

Spenser and President Clinton ignored him.

Milner huffed but stayed silent. He could only go so far, before the President's own security reacted.

The second box slid open and a pigeon flew out. If fluttered a out for a few seconds and dropped to the ground. It landed awkwardly and then fell down, dead before it's head hit the ground. The men saw the black crystal glow for a second and then dim. The glow didn't dissipate entirely. A tiny glow lingered.

"What just happened?" asked President Clinton.

"The crystal sucked out all the pigeon bio electricity until there was nothing left." Spenser explained.

"Are we safe?" Milner asked looking for a way out.

'Man's an obnoxious coward. His days are numbered.' Spenser decided that he had enough of Mr. Milner. He would find out all there was to know about the man and his backers before nightfall.

"For now. The barrier will block out everything. Keep in mind gentlemen that that was just a small sample. The enemy has been using these things for month and we're just now catching up."

"Director Spenser do what you have to to resolve and remove all threats to the country." Clinton was firm in his orders.

"Consider them removed Mr. President." Spenser looked at Milner's reflection when he said that. 'Consider all threats removed.'

**Tokyo, Japan.  
Juban District.  
**

Dawn went back to the shop. She had forgotten her bag. She told the girls she'd meet them at the Crown Arcade. She ran back into the shop and to get her bag and was met at the door by the sales girl.

Dawn thanked the girl and left with a smile. On the way out she heard a scuffle in the alleyway. She peeked in and saw a couple of boys beating on a small girl. Her blood boiled. 'Those Bastards.' She ran in and grabbed the first boy's hand before the punch landed.

"Leave her alone." she growled.

The boy towered over Dawn and when he looked at her he sneered, "Mind your own business gaigin trash." He tried to push her off and frowned when he couldn't.

The other two boys continued to kick the girl on the ground.

"I said enough..." Dawn used the first boy like a large club to hit the boy on the left and again to get the one on the right.

"Let's get out of here. There's nothing here but street trash and gaigin." the other boys ran behind him out of the alley.

"Are you alright?" Dawn knelt beside the girl on the ground and examined her wounds. She saw that they were mostly bruses.

"Sorry about this. I don't want to be any trouble." the small girl replied timidly.

"You're not the one that should be worried about trouble. It's those idiots. Hi I'm Dawn Summers." Dawn gave her, her brightest smile.

"Hotaru Tomoe. Sorry about this."

"C'mon." Dawn gave her a hug. Hotaru didn't know why? But she felt safe for the first time since her mother died.


	24. Chapter 24

**  
Tokyo, Japan.  
Juban District. **

* * *

Dawn walked Hotaru home.

"How long has this been going on?" Dawn held the smaller girl's hand to give her strength and comfort.

"Ever since I transferred to the new school. They saw me heal a kitten and ever since then they've been calling me names and beating me up."

"Have you told anyone? Your parents? Your teachers?"

"I tried telling my father, but there wasn't any evidence by the time I get home. It hurts too much and I heal all the injuries as soon as I can."

"What about your mother? I'm sure she would at least understand about the verbal abuse?"

"Mommy's dead." Hotaru's voice broke when she said that. Dawn hugged her in the middle of the street. The people around them didn't approve of this open display of affection. They let them know with their expressions of obvious disapproval and hostility.

Dawn couldn't have cared less.

A busy body tried to say something but Dawn snarled at her and scared her silly. The middle aged woman quickly retreated. This was Juban. After all. Where all the weirdness has been going on. The woman quickly left the street and went into the first open shop she could find.

Hotaru giggled at Dawn's reactions to the people around them. This stranger had shown her more affection and concern than she had seen in a long time from her friends, neighbors and family.

Dawn smiled at he younger girl and put her arm around her shoulders, "C'mon squirt, show me the way to your home." Hotaru giggled again, and instead of pulling away she gave Dawn a deeper embrace.

**Tokyo, Japan.  
Juban District. Crown Arcade. **

* * *

"Where the hell is she?" Faith paced back and forth aggressively in the Crown Arcade.

Everyone gave the gaigin girl space. She gave off an aura of danger that said mess with me and you'll live to regret it.

"Rei she's scaring me." Usagi whimpered.

Rei slapped her bun, "Grow a spine..." she growled.

"It's not just her Rei. She's scaring everyone... look around you..." Ami defended Usagi.

Rei looked around, she grunted when she saw that Ami was right. Everyone was giving the older girl space. No one even dared pass by her. They went out of their way to avoid the girl. The girl was strong and fast, but she wasn't doing anything to intimidate anyone. She frowned and decided to dig a little deeper, she refocused on the girl and tried to sense her chi, just as if she was doing a fire reading, "Whoa..." she jumped back.

"What is it?" Usagi grabbed her shoulders and shook her like a rag.

"Stop that Meatball head." Rei growled when she recovered.

Usagi stopped shaking her, "What did you see?"

"She has a strong aura. Stronger than a Sailor Scout. She doesn't look it, but that girl is packing some serious power.

"What's going on?" Dana asked the Sailors in their civilian identities.

"Rei just took a look at Faith's Aura, and she was surprised by how strong she is." Ami explained.

"I think she was looking at the slayer Spirit. From the explanation I got it's thousands of years old. From like when man was still living in caves and shit. When one girl dies, another is chosen. I'm not sure what you did, but the first time Usagi here shot Faith and the gang with her pocket nuke in a stick, she drove the spirit out of her body. It then came to me as the closest candidate possible, but when I got blasted at the Ice cream place, the spirit jumped again. That's only supposed to happen when the girl dies." Dana looked at Usagi and added, "I'm not sure what you're doing, but be careful when you target your friends. You never know what other side effects there might be or what else could happen..."

The other scouts agreed with the girl. Usagi was wicked powerful and they didn't need a part of their spirit ripped out like that.

"I'll be careful. I promise." Usagi was deadly serious when she said that. The others believed her. She might be an airhead, but when it came to Sailor Moon Usagi could become quite the serious girl.

"She here yet." Faith asked Dana.

Dana jumped out of her skin. "Christ! Don't. Do. That. You scared the crap out of me."

"You have your cell phone on you?" Faith ignored Dana's reaction and held her hand out for the tiny government issue cell phone.

"Here..." Dana reached into her back pocket and passed the phone to the older slayer.

Faith snatched it out of her hand and quickly hit the quick dial for Dawn.

"'Ssup Dana?" Dawn replied.

"WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU!" Faith screamed into the phone.

Everything in the Arcade stopped. The only noise heard was from the Arcade machines themselves.

"JEEZZ! Take it easy..." Dawn asked Hotaru, "What's the address here?"

Hotaru gave it to her. Dawn repeated the address.

"Hold on..." Faith looked at the girls and she focused on Ami, "You." she pointed at the quaking girl. Ami pointed at her chest. "Yeah you. Take the address down." she passed the cell phone to Ami.

"H-Hello?"

"Ami? Don't let Faith push you around. Stand your ground. She's just a big wuss." Dawn snickered, she knew Faith could hear her with her big slayer ears, "I'm at the Tomoe residence in Juban." Dawn repeated the address again and Ami memorized.

"I will pass along your message Lady Dawn."

"Why are you calling me Lady Dawn? It's just Dawn."

"Sorry, my English is not as good as I thought. I will remember next time. Bye." Ami hanged up quickly. She didn't want to give away any more information. Ami wrote down the address and gave it to Faith.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" she asked.

Ami blinked.

"I don't speak or read Japanese." Faith huffed.

"Oh. I guess we can take you there." she looked at her friends and saw that they were ready to help her out.

"Let's go. Xander's gonna shit a brick if Dawn gets kidnapped again."

They all left the Arcade together, when the door closed behind the girls, the noise slowly returned to normal.


End file.
